B.C.'s vaccine mandate for long-term care staff and visitors now in effect
Nearly 2,000 workers in long-term and assisted care facilities in B.C. still haven't gotten a single COVID-19 vaccine dose, the province's health minister says.
Adrian Dix gave the update on the same day B.C.’s vaccine mandate for long-term care and assisted living workers came into effect.
As of Tuesday, all employees of long-term care and assisted living facilities need to have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Those who choose not to comply will "be subject to progressive discipline up to and including termination," Dix said during an afternoon news conference.
Dix reported that of the 48,879 staff members who have recorded their vaccine status with their employers, 46,924 – or 96 per cent – have had their first shot.
Meanwhile, 93 per cent are fully vaccinated.
"We know these are settings where transmission causes strain on the system if health-care workers are infected, but also can mean transmission to those who are most vulnerable to severe illness," provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday.
"Few know better than those working in long-term care and assisted living what the impact of COVID-19 has been on our seniors and elders, particularly those who live in long-term care."
Advocates have been calling for the policy for months now, as the Delta variant runs rampant in the province and outbreaks in long-term care continue.
The B.C. Care Providers Association supports the policy, however a significant number of workers are still refusing to get vaccinated.
Workers who have only received one dose will have to undergo rapid testing daily, and must receive their second shot within 35 days of their first.
The province initially said all workers must be fully immunized by Oct. 12, but relaxed the mandate after operators pushed back.
Facilities already struggling with staffing shortages say losing any workers will be a huge blow.
Staff aren’t the only ones being impacted by this new mandate.
Visitors will now also need at least one dose, and must be fully immunized by Nov. 30. Experts are hopeful both mandates could be key for preventing more deaths.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ben Nesbit
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.