As the province’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate came into effect for health-care workers on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 4,090 unvaccinated health-care workers across B.C. were placed on unpaid leave.
“On the Sunshine Coast, the rate of vaccination among health-care workers is at 96.5 per cent, marginally lower than the 98 per cent for health-care workers for overall Vancouver Coastal Health,” MLA Nicholas Simons said in an email to Coast Reporter.
In B.C.’s health authority regions, Interior Health had the highest rate of unvaccinated health-care workers at 1,369 people or seven per cent. Northern Health followed with 376 unvaccinated workers (five per cent), whereas Vancouver Island had a three per cent rate of unvaccinated workers (678 people). Fraser, Providence and Vancouver Coastal Health each had a rate of two per cent of their workers unvaccinated (644, 122 and 522 people respectively). The Provincial Health Services Authority likewise had a rate of two per cent of their workers unvaccinated, or 496 people.
There are about 126,343 health-care workers in the province, and approximately 2,626 of them are partially vaccinated.
The vaccine mandate for health-care workers applies to all health-care positions, including students, doctors, contractors and volunteers. Health-care workers who remained unvaccinated on Tuesday were given until Nov. 15 to get their first dose while they are on unpaid leave, unless they have a medical exemption.
“I regularly hear from constituents complimenting health care and allied health professionals for their ongoing commitment to patient care through challenging times,” Simons said. “Vaccinations among the general population is at around 87 per cent, slightly lower than the provincial average, so I urge everyone who is still waiting to get vaccinated to take advantage of the opportunities in our communities... It is the best way to protect oneself, others, our communities and our health-care system.”
The latest mandate follows the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for workers at long-term health-care facilities and assisted living homes in B.C. that came into effect on Oct. 12. At the time, there were about 369 employees at three long-term care facilities on the Sunshine Coast. According to Ministry of Health data, 94 per cent of staff at the Coast’s sites have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 91 per cent were fully immunized by the mandate’s start date.
On Oct. 26, the province also announced a phased approach to offering the “booster shot,” a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, to British Columbians 12 and older who have already received their second dose. The timeline will depend on when previous doses were received, and begin for the general population in January through May 2022. Some high-risk people began receiving the booster shot last month.
Over 84 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and up have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
– with files from the Canadian Press, Alanna Kelly/Glacier Media
