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Quebec made Covid jabs mandatory to buy booze and weed

Restrictions on liquor and cannabis consumption have triggered a huge increase in Quebec’s first dose vaccination numbers.

According to Health Minister Christian Dube, there has been a significant increase in first dose appointments, this week in Quebec.

It was announced on Thursday at a press conference, that vaccine passports would be mandatory to enter Societe des alcools du Quebec (SAQ) and Societe Quebecoise du Cannabis (SQDC) locations starting January 18.

Quebec vaccine mandate
Source-MTL blog

Since the mandate announcement, Dube has briefly posted on social media, revealing the first dose appointments have increased from 1,500 to more than 6000 per day.

Those who saw the mandate as a prompt to get the jab have been thanked by the minister who is reiterating it is never too late to receive the vaccine.

“If the unvaccinated aren’t happy with this situation, there is a very simple solution at your disposal,” the minister said. “It is to get vaccinated. It’s free.”

SAQ spokesperson Linda Bouchard revealed that “as is the case for all other establishments that must apply for the vaccination passport (cultural and sports establishments as well as bars and restaurants), vaccination is not mandatory for employees in the course of their work.”

This means that the same rules will not apply to the employees of SAQ.

They will however require a vaccine passport should they wish to purchase items from the stores.

The unvaccinated Quebecers will still be able to get their ganja and grog delivered to their houses in accordance with the new rules.

The move comes as a response to the increasing number of omicron cases across the country, in hope of avoiding drastic hospitalisation and health system stress.

Over 50% of Quebec’s COVID-19 hospital patients are currently unvaccinated but, the measure is already proving to be an additional incentive for people to get their first dose, proving the universal power of threatening to limit drugs and drink.