Account Login/Registration

Access KelownaNow using your Facebook account, or by entering your information below.


Facebook


OR


Register

Privacy Policy

VIDEO: Public reaction split on suggestion of mandatory vaccination

Public reaction is split in Kelowna over the federal health minister's remarks about mandatory vaccination.

Jean-Yves Duclos said Friday, such measures could be on the way.

But while most people in Kelowna are vaccinated, support for making it mandatory was about 50% at most when KelownaNow asked the question on a sunny Monday afternoon.

"It's your body, your choice," said one man. "If we're going to get out of this, we need stronger action than we're doing," said another.

Duclos said Canada isn't there yet but believes there will come a time. "I can see it coming," he said.

Austria, Germany, Italy, Ecuador, Indonesia and Tajikistan are among countries to have introduced plans to make it mandatory.

But in Canada, it's up to the provinces. And since Friday's remarks from the federal minister, Premiers in Alberta and Saskatchewan have rejected the idea completely.

"In Saskatchewan, this is a personal choice, not one imposed on you by the government,” said Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe.

BC's Public Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry rejected the suggestion when it was raised over a year ago.

Duclos said with 50% of hospitalizations in Quebec due to people not being vaccinated, it's time to start talking about it.

"This is a conversation which provinces and territories," he said, "will want to have over the next weeks and months."

People aged 12 to 59 years old were 25 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID−19 if they were unvaccinated, according to Public Health Association of Canada data between Nov. 7 and Dec. 4, 2021.



If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.

If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.


Send your comments, news tips, typos, letter to the editor, photos and videos to news@kelownanow.com.



Weather
webcam icon

weather-icon
Thu
12℃

weather-icon
Fri
11℃

weather-icon
Sat
12℃

weather-icon
Sun
15℃

weather-icon
Mon
17℃

weather-icon
Tue
16℃

current feed webcam icon

Recent Livestream




Top Stories

Follow Us

Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Linkedin Follow us on Youtube Listen on Soundcloud Follow Our TikTok Feed Follow Our RSS Follow Our pinterest Feed
Follow Our Newsletter
Privacy Policy