Quebec, the first Canadian province to plan to enforce the Covid-19 vaccine since Friday, has postponed its monthly enforcement for fear that it could create a health care crisis caused by staff shortages.
Quebec’s decision to suspend the move comes as public sector unions continue to oppose the mandatory Covid-19 vaccination requirements for central and provincial government employees.
Hopes of termination of work amidst the fourth wave of the Covid-19 epidemic eventually forced Quebec to postpone the authorization deadline to November 15. Health workers, including doctors and nurses who were not fully vaccinated by the first deadline of October 15, are hoping for a temporary suspension.
Quebec’s health care system’s “risks” are considered “too high” if the mid-October vaccination issue creates a crisis, fears provincial health minister Christian Dubé. According to CBC News, in a statement issued in French on Wednesday, “We want to introduce a code of conduct for health workers, but not because of our ability to treat citizens.”
While more than 90% of Quebec health care workers have been completely vaccinated against Covid-19, nearly 22,000 have taken only one dose or no one is liable to be suspended under the new vaccine terms.
The unions representing health care workers have been opposed to this measure, as has always been the case at the state level, when the law enforcement deadline is October 30.
The federal vaccination authorities, promoted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are unique and do not include all personnel such as the Canadian Armed Forces, freed from mandatory jabs in Covid-19. However, face-to-face confrontation is still possible as the day of enforcement approaches.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), representing more than 215,000 civil servants, opposed the expected launch and said it would “continue to represent unsuspecting members with disciplinary action taken because of their immunization status”.
Similarly, the National Police Federation, representing the staff of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, had assured them that it would “continue to support members’ access to the [Covid-19] vaccine, as well as their choice of vaccine or not”.
No COVID-19 TIMES IN INDIVIDUAL RELEASES FROM INDIA
In another development, two weeks after the five-month ban on direct passenger flights from India to Canada, no Covid-19 cases have been reported among those passengers since then, according to data from the Canadian Public Health Agency.
The ban, first introduced in April, was originally intended to curb Delta’s distinct distribution of Covid-19 in Canada when the second destructive wave was high in India.
However, it was renewed several times and the screening requirements of those entering Canada via other countries were set. Those measures were kept in place as Canada was open to all fully vaccinated travelers before the ban was lifted on September 27.
Data from the Canadian Public Health Agency, which monitors international air traffic control cases, shows that no cases have been reported so far by direct flights from India, by Air Canada or Air India.