Montreal, Quebec (WNews) – The province of Quebec announced Tuesday, it will impose a health tax on Quebecers who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The new tax targeted towards the unvaccinated is the first in the country.
Quebec Premier François Legault made the announcement in Montreal on Tuesday afternoon, as the number of pandemic-related hospitalizations continues to climb in the Province.
“A health contribution will be charged to all adults that don’t want to get vaccinated. We are there now,” Legault said.
Legault said he felt the ire of the vaccinated towards the unvaccinated, who he blamed for clogging up the province’s hospitals.
Only 10 percent of the population is unvaccinated. They make up 50 percent of patients in intensive care beds, according to the premier.
On Tuesday Quebec reported an increase of 188 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 for a total of 2,742. Of those, 255 are in intensive care.
“Those who refuse to get the shot bring a burden to hospital staff and an important financial burden for the majority of Quebecers. It’s not true that the 10 per cent of the population will bring harm to the 90 per cent.”
Legault celebrated the vaccination as a key to success and urged Quebecers to get all their required doses, including their booster shots.
All Quebec adults who refuse to get the first dose within the coming weeks will be getting a significant bill, Legault mentioned.
Dr. Luc Boileau becomes interim Public Health Director
Legault announced the financial penalty after introducing the province’s new public health director following Monday’s sudden resignation of Dr. Horacio Arruda.
Dr. Arruda served as the province’s top health official throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has been replaced on an interim basis by Dr. Luc Boileau, who until yesterday was head of the government healthcare research institution called the “Institut national d’excellence en sante et services sociaux.”
The province curfew will be maintained until the situation is under control in the province. The curfew was brought back at the end of December in the province. The curfew is in place from 10 pm to 5 am.
The Province hopes to have students back in the classroom by next Monday, January 17 but the government is weighing the pros and cons. He admitted that sending kids back could increase the number of contacts but also not sending them back can have an impact on their mental health and learning.
We want to know your feedback, do you support the new tax on these refusing to get the COVID19 shot. Sound off in the comments below.
