With the fourth wave of COVID-19 upon us, Quebec Premier François Legault said "even if it's summer, the situation is worrying and we have to take measures." One of those measures is requiring health care workers to be vaccinated.

"Public health also recommends making the vaccination mandatory for health workers who are in contact with patients. We'll follow this recommendation," Legault said in a press conference on August 17.

Legault said 90% of the province's health care workers are already vaccinated, but "the remaining 10% are at real risk."

"According to public health, a nurse, a caregiver, can, despite the equipment, transmit the virus to a patient who is vulnerable," he said.

As for teachers and other public servants, Legault said the government does not intend "for the moment" to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory.

Quebec reported 323 new COVID-19 cases on August 16.

The Institut Nationale De Santé Publique Du Québec expects the province's cases and hospitalizations to increase in the coming weeks, Legault said.