QUESTION PERIOD — Health
COVID-19 Vaccine
December 3, 2020
My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Mr. Leader, we recently received good news. Three of the vaccines are effective, and some are even 95% or 98% effective. That is excellent news. However, our experts tell us that herd immunity must be 85% to stop the spread. That means at least 85% of the population has to be vaccinated or have the necessary antibodies for us to achieve herd immunity.
A survey by Léger and the Association of Canadian Studies shows that only 63% of the population intends to get vaccinated. That is seven percentage points less than in July. It is expected that the percentage of the population wanting to be vaccinated could drop to 55% or 60%. Such a huge gap would compromise herd immunity. Will the government force Canadians to be vaccinated?
The government has no intention of making vaccination mandatory. That would contravene the rights and freedoms of individuals. That said, the issue you pointed out and its consequences for Canadians are serious. That is why the government is insisting that Health Canada follow its own protocols to reassure Canadians that the vaccines are safe and effective. We have a job to do in terms of communications, not just within government, but also across all political parties and civil society, to combat the misinformation that, unfortunately, is increasingly circulating on social media and elsewhere. This misinformation leads our citizens to doubt the efficacy and safety of vaccines, which are essential to combat this virus and help us return to a so-called “normal” life.
