Witness Testimony

Marc Auger testified that when his father, who had early-onset dementia, was admitted to long-term care in June 2021, he was denied visitation for extended periods because he was unvaccinated. As power of attorney, he stated that this restriction made caregiving difficult and contributed to what he observed as a decline in his father’s cognitive condition due to isolation. He described outdoor masked visits, rapid testing requirements, and feeling segregated based on vaccination status.
Auger also testified about his own hospitalization in October 2021 for emergency appendicitis surgery. He stated that when hospital staff learned he was unvaccinated, his treatment environment changed and he was placed in a separate glass-enclosed room with a note marked “Unvaccinated” on the door, despite testing negative for COVID-19. He described feeling isolated and receiving limited interaction from staff during his overnight stay prior to surgery.
He later chose to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, stating he felt coerced due to prior experiences in long-term care and hospital settings. He testified that he had a history of pericarditis and was hesitant about mRNA vaccines due to reported heart inflammation risks. Following vaccination, he reported severe joint pain and worsening arthritis symptoms that he said have not fully resolved. He concluded that public health messaging shifted frequently and that open debate about vaccination risks was limited.