B.C. will require all health care workers in the province to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 26, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a press conference Monday (Sept. 13).
Monday鈥檚 announcement follows an earlier mandate that all long-term care and assisted living workers must be vaccinated against the virus by Oct. 12. Henry said that expanding the vaccine mandate to all health-care facilities is meant to make it 鈥渧ery clear鈥� that workers who do not wish to be immunized cannot leave long-term care or assisted living for other health care jobs.
鈥淭his includes all people, all workers, students, physicians, residents, contractors and volunteers who work in a healthcare facility including contracted facilities, which are accessible to patients and where they receive services,鈥� Henry said, adding that this includes those who provide home and community care. Only health care providers who work in private practice and do not have privileges at a health care facility are not covered by the mandate.
Henry said that there will be a centralized process to seek medical and religious exemptions, which could include frequent testing or being reassigned. In all other cases, full vaccination against COVID-19 will be a condition of employment and workers who choose not to get vaccinated will be put on unpaid leave.
She said that while B.C., and all of Canada, is facing a health care worker shortage, officials believe this measure will be popular and will not lead to a large number of staff leaving.
鈥淭his is not going to adversely affect the vast majority of health care workers,鈥� Henry said, adding that vaccination rates among health care staff are above those in the general population.
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