The COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Quebec () was a provincial effort to distribute and administer vaccines against COVID-19.
Quebec received their first shipments of COVID-19 vaccines on December 13, 2020. Priority vaccination of long-term care home residents and healthcare workers began the next day, with an 89-year-old resident of a long-term care home in Quebec City being the first in the province and country to receive a vaccine. On March 1, 2021, vaccination of the general population began, starting with people 80 years of age or older in Montreal. Over the course of the next three months, the vaccination campaign was gradually expanded to each age group in descending order. By May 14, all adults in Quebec were able to book a vaccination appointment, and by June 6, 75% of eligible Quebecers had received at least one dose of a vaccine. By mid-January 2022, all adults were eligible to receive a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
From September 1, 2021, to March 12, 2022, a vaccine passport was required to enter restaurants, bars, gyms, and indoor venues, among other places. For a short time, it was also required for big-box stores, provincial alcohol stores, and provincial cannabis stores.
Timeline
Preparation In the autumn of 2020, logistical preparations for the rollout of the vaccine began to be developed. Since Quebec would be receiving vaccine doses from the federal government, the Quebec government began to study several scenarios based on the quantity and type of vaccine received. The city of Montreal, in particular, set to work on creating its own plan and administrative structures for the vaccination campaign in late November 2020.
At the end of November 2020, the director of the Quebec vaccination campaign against COVID-19 was chosen: Jérôme Gagnon, an assistant deputy minister. After undergoing health problems, he was replaced two weeks later by Daniel Paré, CEO of the Chaudière-Appalaches .
In early December, in addition to health professionals who are already authorized to administer vaccines, the Quebec government added new categories of people who are authorized to administer the vaccine:
Students in programs that lead to a diploma in which they would be authorized to administer vaccines; Ambulance technicians and students training to be ambulance technicians; Holders of a medical degree from outside Canada; Professionals in physical health, once they have undergone some training, including acupuncturists, audiologists, chiropractors, etc.
On December 10, Premier François Legault indicated that by January 4, 2021, Quebec would receive 55,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Initial launch
On December 13, not even a week after its approval by Health Canada, the first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines arrived in Canada at Mirabel airport. Vaccination in Quebec started the next day, on December 14, with Gisèle Levesque, an 89-year-old resident of a long-term care home in Quebec City, being the first in the province and country to receive a vaccine. The vaccination campaign was slow to start, with around 1,400 doses being given per day in the first two weeks for a total of less than 20,000 people vaccinated.
On December 23, Health Canada approved the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and on December 30, Quebec received their first shipment. Due to its lower maintenance requirements in comparison to the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine was initially prioritized for use in remote regions.
Towards the end of December 2020, the Quebec government set aside 27,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in order to be able to administer second doses without delay, with Minister Dubé saying that this was a requirement from Pfizer. However, he added that he was in discussion with Quebec's public health agency, as well as with other provinces, to determine whether it would be possible to "force the hand of Pfizer in order to free up these doses" and be able to instead prioritize giving first doses to more people.
In January 2021, the province announced its intentions to switch to a first dose priority system, which would allow for the greatest number of people to receive a first dose but which would delay administration of a second dose to months after the first, as opposed to the three weeks recommended by Pfizer. The Quebec government initially received criticism for this, with Supriya Sharma, Canada's Chief Medical Advisor to the Deputy Minister, stating that Quebec's calculations were done in a superficial manner and that this decision could have an effect on the delivery schedule for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Indeed, on January 11, 2021, Premier Legault suggested that Pfizer might stop delivering vaccines to Quebec if the province did not comply with the recommended schedule. However, he affirmed that if such a situation arose, Quebec would modify its strategy to adhere to the recommended schedule.
In the last week of January 2021, Quebec did not receive any vaccine doses, as Pfizer had temporarily stopped deliveries to Canada while its factory was being retooled.
Expansion On February 23, Premier Legault announced that vaccine reservations would become available on February 25 by phone or online for Quebecers aged 85 and older.
On March 1, vaccination of the general population began, starting with people 80 years of age or older in Montreal. The next day, Minister Christian Dubé confirmed that 350 pharmacies in Montreal would begin taking appointments for vaccinations on March 15. The Director of the Vaccination Campaign Against COVID-19 in Quebec (), Daniel Paré, revealed that since February 25, there had been over 350,000 vaccination reservations made online.
Shortly after mass vaccination in Montreal began, NACI modified its recommendations, confirming that the second dose can be administered up to four months after the first, prompting other provinces, including British Columbia and Ontario, to start following the same strategy as Quebec. Given the recommendations, long-term care centre () residents and staff, who had begun to receive vaccinations in December 2020, could start to receive second doses as of early March 2021.
By March 10, all Quebecers 70 years of age and older were able to book a vaccination appointment.
On March 16, Premier Legault promised that by June 24 (Quebec's national holiday) all Quebecers who wish to be vaccinated would have at least their first dose.
By March 18, over 10% of the Quebec population had received at least one dose.
On March 22, pharmacies began administering shots.
On March 26, Premier Legault received a dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
On March 29, Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommended that use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine be suspended for patients below the age of 55, as the risk of blood clots seemed to be higher in younger people. As a precautionary measure, the Quebec government modified their strategy to comply with the new recommendations.
By April 8, all Quebecers 60 years of age and older were able to book a vaccination appointment.
By April 14, 25% of Quebecers had received at least one dose.
On April 21, the minimum age for the AstraZeneca vaccine was lowered to 45 years old. Despite concerns of vaccine hesitancy stemming from reports of rare blood clots linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, which had led to slowed demand for the AstraZeneca vaccine in some other provinces, long line-ups started to form before dawn at drop-in vaccination sites. In Montreal, all available AstraZeneca doses were exhausted within two days, forcing the drop-in vaccination clinics to close.
In the last week of April, vaccination was opened up to two more priority groups: people with a chronic illness or underlying health condition that increases their risk of COVID-19 complications, and people with physical or intellectual disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum. This would allow for around 550,000 more people to get vaccinated.
Due to shipment delays of the Moderna vaccine, some residents of long-term care homes who had received the Moderna vaccine as their first dose were administered a different vaccine for their second dose. While the (CIQ), a branch of the (INSPQ), recommended that both doses be given using the same vaccine due to the lack of data surrounding the efficacy of mixing vaccines, they allowed for flexibility in the context of a vaccine supply shortage. The CIQ thus suggested that in order to not delay the administration of a second dose any longer than necessary, a vaccine of a similar type to the first can be administered as the second dose (for example, a Moderna vaccine can be replaced with a Pfizer vaccine, since they are both mRNA vaccines).
On April 27, businesses with enough capacity began opening up their facilities for mass vaccination, with Montreal-based CAE Inc. being the first to do so. The same day, Quebec reported its first death from an adverse event following immunization — a 54-year-old woman from Montérégie who died of a thrombosis after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.
On April 28, pregnant women became able to get vaccinated with one of the approved mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna).
On April 29, the Quebec government announced its vaccine schedule for adults under 60 years old, who will be divided into seven groups spanning about five years, with vaccination of the final group beginning on May 14.
On May 4, Quebec announced its first drive-thru vaccination clinic, located at the Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport in Montreal. It is slated for opening on May 17 and will be able to administer 4,000 doses per day once operational.
On May 10, Marguerite Blais, the Minister Responsible for Seniors, announced that all CHSLD residents who had received a first dose of the vaccine have now been fully vaccinated with both doses.
On May 13, the Quebec government announced the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine for first doses, citing the risk of post-vaccination embolic and thrombotic events in the current context of readily available mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), which do not seem to pose the same risk. The move came after several other provinces, including Ontario and Alberta, announced similar suspensions. Consequently, the 148,000 doses of AstraZeneca arriving in the next week will be used as second doses for those over the age of 45 who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose. However, for those under the age of 45, the CIQ recommends giving an mRNA vaccine as the second dose.
By May 14, the vaccination campaign had expanded to all adults in Quebec.
By May 19, 50% of Quebecers had received at least one dose. The same day, Minister Dubé and Mayor Valérie Plante announced the opening of a vaccination clinic at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve that will welcome both vehicles and cyclists, in light of the cancellation of the 2021 Canadian Grand Prix.
On May 21, the vaccination campaign was expanded to children aged 12 to 17 years old.
Acceleration of second doses