Premier François Legault held a press conference last Tuesday to reveal his plan to levy financial penalties against Quebec residents who remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 for non-medical reasons. The announcement follows the sudden departure of . . .

Public Health Director Dr. Horacio Arruda on Monday, who voiced concern over “the credibility of our recommendations and our scientific rigour” in his letter of resignation.

Nevertheless, Legault is moving forward with his plan to hold unvaccinated Quebecers responsible for increased costs associated with hospital stays for patients infected with COVID.

At the press conference, Legault stopped short of providing specifics, such as the size of what he intended to be a “significant” financial penalty, or how the plan will be enforced. The decision is a response to a recent increase in hospitalizations, and is an attempt to defray the cost associated with treating unvaccinated COVID patients. “There are consequences on our health-care network and it’s not up to all Quebecers to pay for this,” said the Premier.

The cost of providing medical treatment for COVID-19 patients is substantial. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), the estimated average cost of hospital treatment for a COVID-19 patient is more than $23,000. If the COVID-19 patient requires admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), the estimated cost is over $50,000. By comparison, the average cost of an ICU admission for non-COVID pneumonia is $22,000.

There is also a human cost associated with the COVID illness: with the virulence of Omicron, unvaccinated COVID patients account for half of all current ICU hospitalizations. The added burden on health-care workers is a considerable problem, especially where there are staffing shortages, and there are resources being drawn from other departments.

Patients who are receiving routine medical intervention must contend with longer wait times for services, diminished medical resources, and increased risk of exposure to COVID while in the hospital.

Critics of the proposed ‘unvax-tax’ were quick to respond. In a statement condemning the plan, Cara Zwibel, general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, wrote: “Our Charter recognizes individual autonomy over our bodies and medical decisions. Allowing the government to levy fines on those who do not agree with the government’s recommended medical treatment is a deeply troubling proposition,” as part of a statement in response to the government’s ‘unvax-tax’ proposal.

On the whole, Quebecers have responded positively to the vaccination campaign. According to the latest epidemiology data released by the Canadian government, Quebec already boasts a higher percentage of eligible people (84.5%) who have received at least one dose of the vaccine, compared with the rest of Canada (82.9%).

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!