Medicine Hat residents, business speak on lifting of vaccine proof program

“Hopefully we’ll get a few more people coming in, walking in the doors,” bistro owner Sourav Saha said.

When the vaccine passport program was introduced last fall, Saha welcomed it. But he’s noticed a drop in business since Christmas, which he believes is partly a result of COVID-19.

“We just somehow managed to survive and keep the doors open for people who were coming in because with the variant there is a fear in peoples mind, like, doesn’t matter if you have 3 vaccines or not. There’s still a fear, ” Saha told CHAT News.

Meanwhile, another Medicine Hat eatery is applauding the end of checking of QR codes.

The owner of Country Crumbs Bakery and Cafe says he’s had his share of issues with enforcing the program.

“The scanner wouldn’t scan,” the cafe’s Joe Desjardins laughed, “Because people would laminate their cards thinking it would last longer, right. But then the glare would make it almost impossible to scan that card right.”

Some restaurant staff meanwhile are hoping the change will mean more hours, including a woman who said she works for a local buffet.

“We were at, I think, about 80% back to what we usually are before the vaccine passports came and we yeah, just dropped signficantly (with the REP’s introduction).”

Most other people CHAT News spoke to on the street today also support ending the REP.

“It’s a way of life now, COVID isn’t going away so we just have to learn with it so,” one man said.

A woman standing on 3rd St. S.E. added, “I think it’s about time..I just think people are a little tired of it, but i do feel sorry for anyone who is immunocompromised.”

Premier Kenney brought forward Tuesday a three step program to ease public health measures, saying that hospitalizations and infections have dropped enough for changes to be made.

by Darren Rathwell

Medicine Hat residents, business speak on lifting of vaccine proof program

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