LAVAL, QUE. -- When COVID-19 killed a 39-year-old Laval athlete in early September, it sent a shock through his tight-knit Greek community.he’d been planning to get the shot soon anywayBut tragic as Govas’s death was, it was only one part of a bigger series of losses that took two months to play out and have torn that community apart.
In Helen’s community, the anti-vaxxers’ staunchest opponents have been coming from nearby—their neighbours and former schoolmates.Govas, who competed internationally in ball hockey, died the weekend of Sept. 11. He was Helen’s daughter’s serious boyfriend, essentially her son-in-law.Her husband, Nick, became ill at the same time, and he remained in hospital until late October, when he also died, at the age of 57.
Nick’s “lungs were shot” very quickly, so that when they arrived at the hospital, doctors ultimately couldn’t save him, though Helen called the care he got at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital “just incredible” and said doctors and nurses were with him around the clock, trying everything within their power.
“He was the best man. He was the best father, the best husband. He gave me 35 wonderful, wonderful years,” she said, though she wanted “to have 35 more.” That’s because he and many other middle-aged men in his social circle, all unvaccinated, met regularly at a restaurant in Laval over the summer, planning to oppose Quebec’s vaccine mandate, Helen said.
The owner is listed online as Peter Chiotis. Chiotis also co-hosts a podcast, The Show, where he frequently discusses his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccines. While some in the community believe that Nick, and possibly others, were actually infected at one of these indoor meetings, that’s not clear. But Helen said she was told that man had the Delta variant, whereas doctors told her her husband didn’t have that variant of COVID-19.
That can mean language barriers or logistical issues, religious reasons, distrust of authorities, or simply, as Le Guerrier said, “peer pressure.”“We were reaching out to local community groups and leaders, whether it be religious leaders, ethno-cultural leaders—we tried to identify a key spokesperson from the community,” he said.
They offered shots on the spot and talked to people about their hesitations. The most common misinformation heard in Montreal, Le Guerrier said, is that the vaccine causes infertility, which he called “totally untrue.”
They wasted their lives. What a tragedy for their loved ones.
F**ked around and found out
They made their choice.
COVID doesn’t care. This is a reminder we all need to do our part to beat COVID19.
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Get vaxxed dum-dums.
Stupid antimaskers antivaxxers. Let Darwinism handle the idiots. Canadians in Canada are really tired of these people. WearAMask GetVaccinated Wearadamnmask GetVaccinatedNow GetVaxxed GetVaxedOrPayUp
not smart....
Looks like whytr Supremacist from US organizing all over the world
Darwin doing what Darwin does. We will soon be rid of anti vaxers
After anti-tax sentiment seeps in, 3 die…. I guess they were dead right to think what they wanted.
It’s too bad there wasn’t some sort of vaccine that helped to at least fight off severe symptoms of covid…oh hold on a minute I think there actually is.
Propaganda
Please ignore the anti vaxx drama queens
Absolutely ZERO sympathy - they flipped the bird at their way through this and then covid flipped it back.
ActionsHaveConsequences
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