To be fully vaccinated by October 26, a healthcare worker in an acute setting would need to have received their first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine no later than today.
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Provincial health official Dr. Bonnie Henry has yet to formalize a controversial order regarding vaccinations for intensive care health workers in British Columbia.
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Two weeks ago, Henry announced that an order would be put into effect that all healthcare workers in acute settings (hospitals and community care) would have to be immunized against COVID-19 by October 26. Henry said that if those workers were not fully immunized at that time they would not be allowed to enter the facility to work.
This is in addition to an order posted a month before everyone working in long-term care is required to get vaccinated starting October 12.
The order regarding long-term care facility workers, announced on August 12, was formalized by a Order of the Provincial Health Official August 20.
However, Henry’s order on intensive care health workers has not been formalized.
According to a spokesperson for the British Columbia Ministry of Health, the provincial health official “is currently consulting and drafting an order that will provide a clear definition of the scope of health workers and health care settings to be included in the requirement of mandatory vaccination. . “
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The British Columbia government recommends that you get your required second dose of COVID-19 as soon as one month after your first dose to maximize protection.
This means that to be fully vaccinated before October 26, a healthcare worker in an acute setting would have to have received their first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine no later than today.
Henry’s most recent request has been controversial, sparking a rift within the BC Nurses Union.
Last Monday, on the night of the Canadian federal election, BC Nurses Union President Christine Sorensen abruptly resigned.
This came two weeks after the union vice president told CBC that while the union encouraged all nurses to get vaccinated, it did not support the mandatory policy because it could lead to staff shortages because unvaccinated nurses couldn’t do the job. front line work.
This statement was made despite the fact that the majority of BC’s 48,000 nurses were vaccinated and generated criticism online from other nurses in favor of the vaccination mandate.
The Canadian Nurses Association, the Canadian Medical Association, BC Doctors, and the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons support mandatory vaccination.
with files from Susan Lazaruk
Reference-vancouversun.com