2023-09-08 20:02:37
SAGUENAY, Qc — Around a hundred vaccination centers set up during the pandemic will become permanent and will also serve as sampling centers, at a cost of $1.36 billion over five years.
The Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, made the announcement Friday morning in a hotel in Saguenay, where the caucus of elected officials of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) is being held.
The investment amounts to $272 million per year over five years, for a total of $1.36 billion. Around a quarter of the bill is attributable to fixed assets, leases and buildings, the minister said.
Mr. Dubé aims to have these facilities ready in October for the arrival of a new variant of the coronavirus expected this fall.
These service points are in addition to the 160 existing sampling centers, with a view to relieving congestion in hospitals, he indicated.
Around 10,000 people recruited through the “I contribute” program are currently hard at work in vaccination centers and the minister hopes to be able to mobilize up to 20,000 employees.
In addition to continuing to administer vaccines of all kinds, these locations will take blood, stool and urine samples. We can also screen for infections, including those linked to group A streptococci.
These centers where many retired people already work will free up hospital staff from these tasks, who will be able to concentrate on other, more complex tasks.
Services already offered will also remain in place, such as vaccination against COVID-19, influenza and shingles as well as the distribution of rapid screening tests.
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