Quebec Announces Special Tax for COVID-19 un-vaccinated
Quebec is announcing it will impose a health tax on Quebecers who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Quebec Premier François Legault made the announcement in Montreal on Tuesday afternoon, as the number of pandemic-related hospitalizations continues to climb.
“A health contribution will be charged to all adults that don’t want to get vaccinated. We are there now,” he said.
Legault said he felt the ire of the vaccinated towards the unvaccinated, who he blamed for clogging up the province’s hospitals.
Only 10 percent of the population is unvaccinated but they make up 50 percent of patients in intensive care beds, according to the premier.
On Tuesday the province reported an increase of 188 patients with COVID-19 for a total of 2,742. Of those, 255 are in intensive care.
“Those who refuse to get the shot to bring a burden to hospital staff and an important financial burden for the majority of Quebecers. It’s not true that the 10 percent of the population will bring harm to the 90 percent.”
Legault said there will be an exemption for those who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons.
The government is still working on the amount that will have to be paid, but Legault said it would be “significant.”
