Quebec premier announces vaccine passport system after rise in COVID-19 cases

Montreal–Quebec Premier Francois Legault says the government will impose a vaccine passport system following a recent rise in COVID-19 infections.

Legault said today that Health Minister Christian Dube will announce details in the coming days about how the system will work and when it will begin.

The announcement came as health officials reported 305 new COVID-19 cases in the province, including 72 in Montreal that are still under investigation and could be corrected.

There were no new deaths attributed to COVID-19, but 60 patients were listed in hospital, an increase of two, with one less patient in intensive care, for a total of 16.

The premier told reporters that Quebec appears to be at the beginning of a fourth wave of COVID-19, with health experts suggesting case numbers will continue rising in the coming weeks along with hospitalizations and deaths.

As of Thursday, 84.3% of Quebecers aged 12 and older have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with 69.7% considered adequately vaccinated.

"People who have made the effort to get their two doses should be able to live a somewhat normal life, having access to all activities, including non-essential ones,'' Legault said in explaining the vaccine passport plan.

The government had previously said it would wait until September to start requiring Quebecers to show proof of vaccination to access non-essential services in parts of the province where COVID-19 transmission is high.