Despite the Quebec government lifting the province’s COVID-19 vaccine passport, it will still be needed at some businesses and places in the health-care network past March 14.
Some tell Global News that march deadline is too soon and plan to continue to require clients and visitors to show proof of vaccination.
“I’m still going to ask for it,” said Athletica Lac Brome owner Alan Gauthier. “COVID just doesn’t go away March 14.”
Gauthier says he’s making the decision to protect his clientele since some are immunocompromised. He believes only allowing vaccinated people into the Knowlton gym is safer.
“It’s my business. It’s a private business. I mean, I’m allowed to establish the rule,” he said.
He insists a majority of clients at the Knowlton gym respect his decision. Regardless, he expects some pushback.
Gauthier said he isn’t afraid to tell people who refuse to comply, “there’s other gyms further down the road, and I’ll be happy to give you their address.”
The Quebec Association of Hematologists and Oncologists (FMSQ) also intends to scan vaccine passports past March 14.
“For specific patients who we deem high risk that are, for instance, hospitalized for their transplant or getting their active chemotherapy – we would still be able to ask for their visitors to to provide a vaccine passport,” said McGill University Health Centre hematologist Véronique Naessens.
However the FMSQ is open to flexibility. Naessens said undergoing procedures alone can be isolating.
“We are aware of the need for some of these patients to be able to see their loved ones. But we would for sure like to continue to protect specific patients at increased risk of disease even if they were vaccinated.”
Despite a patient being adequately protected by vaccination, she worries about the dire effects COVID can have on the immunocompromised.
“Some of these patients may require prolonged hospitalization. Some of them may require intensive care units and even there is a higher risk of mortality,” she explained.
On Tuesday, Quebec health minister Christian Dubé defended the governments decision to remove the program so soon.
“The conditions are improving and if we can limit the measure and it’s safe to do it, I think that’s good news,” he told reporters at a press conference.
Whether or not people plan to work out at Athletica Lac Brome, or accompany a cancer patient, Dubé is warning Quebecers to not delete the Vaxicode app. After all, the government holds the right to reinstate it, he said.
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