COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know Wednesday

• Quebec reported 600new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesdayand threenew deaths.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been394,452confirmed casesand11,296people have died.
• There are 178people in hospital (an increase of seven),including 71in intensive care(an increase of three).
• 19,989vaccine dosesadministered were reportedon Tuesday for a total of12,517,931doses administered in Quebec.
• 87per cent of the eligible population in the province (age 12 and up) hasreceived one dose of vaccine, and 80per cent have received two doses.

With the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations steadily increasing, the Quebec government has announced health-care workers who aren't adequately vaccinated by Oct. 15 will be suspended without pay.

It had been weeks since Premier Franois Legault and Health Minister Christian Dubmade it clear they intended to makeCOVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for health-care staff, but they had yet to specify a deadline or a consequence for those who did notcomply.

Dub also announced Quebec's vaccine passport is being extended to hospital visitors.

In the last month, the number of people in hospital due to the virus has tripled going from 55 to 171.

The passport came into effect one week ago, on Sept. 1. It is required for most non-essential services, including restaurants, bars, movie theatresand gyms.

WATCH | Quebec takes a hard line against unvaccinated health workers

Quebec takes a hard line against unvaccinated health workers

3 years ago

Duration 1:16

The Quebec government will suspend any health or social service employee without pay who is not vaccinated by Oct. 15, says the province's health minister, Christian Dub. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Inquiry into deaths at CHSLD Herron begins

A public hearing into the dozens of deaths that occurred at CHSLD Herron beganon Tuesday.

It's part of a broader inquiry into deaths in Quebec'slong-term care homes during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This next part of that inquiry had been postponed due to the possibility of criminal charges being laid against Herron's former owners.

Getting used to vaccination passport

It's been a week since Quebecersbegan scanningtheir VaxiCode appin order to gain entry into a long list of businesses and non-essential activities.

Although the passports are now required,strict enforcement of the new rules won't begin until Sept. 15.

If you need help understanding how the passport applies and where it will be used,go here.

WATCH | We tested out Quebec's vaccine passport on its first day:

How does Quebec's vaccination passport really work? We tested it out

3 years ago

Duration 2:54

Verity Stevenson headed out in Montreal on the first day of the new measures and has a practical guide to how it all works.

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