Expanding vaccine passports possible solution to increased hospitalizations, experts say

Hospitalizations in Ontario are quickly rising towards their pandemic peak in the third wave. Sunday saw more than 2,400 Ontarians hospitalized from COVID-19, including 60 in the capital.

Reports of overwhelmed hospitals are coming in from across the country, as outbreaks and staffing challenges leave healthcare workers exhausted.

“The health-care system would not be overwhelmed or at the brink of being overwhelmed if we had a fully vaccinated population,” Dr. Peter Juni told CTV News Toronto on Thursday. 

The suggestion has some health experts looking for ways to increase Ontario’s vaccination coverage, particularly among those without a first dose.

“Even moving vaccination numbers up by a few percentage points seems to make a significant difference and I don’t think we can underscore the importance of that,” Montreal-based epidemiologist and cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos said.

Dr. Juni estimates there are roughly 1.5 million unvaccinated Ontarians. One possible initiative to lower that number could be to follow in the footsteps of Quebec, which will require proof of vaccination to purchase alcohol or cannabis at provincial retailers beginning January 18.

According to a social media post from Quebec’s health minister, appointments for first doses increased from roughly 1,500 per day to more than 6,000.

“I think it’s clearly proven to be a successful strategy. I was frankly rather surprised that it was going to be successful, but it was. It just underscores the point that different people have different sets of priorities and so if you demonstrate to people what the practical benefits of vaccination are in terms of them living the normal routine of their lives, they will do it,” Dr. Labos said.

Ottawa residents are split on the idea, some hopeful Ontario would follow suit.

“Most people are vaccinated, so I think it would maybe encourage other people who are a bit more reluctant,” said one Ottawa resident.

“Ontario should adopt the same policy because it will help the reduction of spread of COVID-19,” added Chris, another Ottawa resident.

Others were far from eager to see the change.

“I think you should keep your medical opinions out of whether or not you can purchase goods,” Kyle said.

“There’s no reason for that, it’s just one additional restriction,” Ahmad Mokeen said.

In Ottawa 90 per cent of the eligible population has at least one dose of the vaccine, 83 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Pharmacist Jordan Clark was running a walk-in clinic offering boosters to those in the education sector Sunday. He says his clinic still gets occasional first dose appointments.

“We have seen some first and second doses, anytime we do see those, especially the first doses we do whatever we can to get them done almost right away because we know that there was, at some point, a barrier for those people and for whatever reason now that barrier is gone,” Clark said.