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Public reaction is split in Kelowna over the federal health minister's remarks about mandatory vaccination.
Jean-Yves Duclos said Friday, such measures could be on the way.
But while most people in Kelowna are vaccinated, support for making it mandatory was about 50% at most when KelownaNow asked the question on a sunny Monday afternoon.
"It's your body, your choice," said one man. "If we're going to get out of this, we need stronger action than we're doing," said another.
Duclos said Canada isn't there yet but believes there will come a time. "I can see it coming," he said.
Austria, Germany, Italy, Ecuador, Indonesia and Tajikistan are among countries to have introduced plans to make it mandatory.
But in Canada, it's up to the provinces. And since Friday's remarks from the federal minister, Premiers in Alberta and Saskatchewan have rejected the idea completely.
"In Saskatchewan, this is a personal choice, not one imposed on you by the government,” said Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe.
BC's Public Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry rejected the suggestion when it was raised over a year ago.
Duclos said with 50% of hospitalizations in Quebec due to people not being vaccinated, it's time to start talking about it.
"This is a conversation which provinces and territories," he said, "will want to have over the next weeks and months."
People aged 12 to 59 years old were 25 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID−19 if they were unvaccinated, according to Public Health Association of Canada data between Nov. 7 and Dec. 4, 2021.
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