COVID-19: British Columbia will require all healthcare workers to be vaccinated

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – As British Columbia’s new vaccine passport took effect Monday, the province announced that all healthcare workers will soon need to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

All healthcare workers working in acute and community care will need to be vaccinated starting October 26. The ordinance will also apply to people working in home care, but not to those not employed by the province. They include private practitioners, community physicians, physiotherapists.

Details for workers with health conditions that prevent them from getting vaccinated are expected to be released soon.

“Our hospitals are overloaded right now,” says Dr Henry.
The best way to reduce our risk as a person, our community and get back to the things we want to do is to get vaccinated.# covid19 @ NEWS1130 #bcpoli

– LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 13, 2021

According to provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, overall immunizations are high in health care. She says about 96% of doctors are vaccinated and the rate among nurses is in the 80s-90s.

“It’s an important part of us, our responsibility as healthcare workers … But also to make sure that we don’t infect our colleagues, or potentially bring him into an environment where we are. vulnerable people we care for can be effective. “

Although there is a shortage of healthcare workers across the country, Henry recognizes that this order could add stress.

“But I also know that there is a very, very strong support from our professional organizations around healthcare workers across this province to ensure that they and their colleagues are vaccinated to better protect themselves, but also to make sure we can continue to provide care. . “

Immunocompromised to receive booster injections

The province also announced that a third dose will be made available to people with severe immunosuppression.

“People who are immunocompromised do not respond as well to any vaccine and have a reduced ability to fight infection. This means that they may not have responded adequately to the first two doses and have not given them enough antibodies to be protected. And that puts them at a much higher risk than most of us, ”says Henry.

“For these people, a third dose is needed to provide sufficient protection for most of us after our primary two-dose series.”

NEW: The third doses will begin to be given to the most immunocompromised people in British Columbia. Dr Henry says this follows federal guidelines and is for those who don’t develop such a strong immune response and need extra protection.# covid19 @ NEWS1130 #bcpoli

– LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 13, 2021

The province says that group includes around 300,000 people who have health conditions that make them clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19. But a subset of that group is made up of severely immunocompromised people of about 15,000 people who will receive an invitation to receive their third dose this week.

These people will receive an invitation by text or email for their third dose this week.

Henry still urges people with severe immunocompromised disorders to continue taking precautions to avoid exposure.

The BC Immunization Committee will be looking at a second group of about 120,000 people who are “moderately” immunocompromised and may need a third dose. This group can expect an update in late September, early October.

“If you haven’t received an invitation. You don’t need a third dose right now, ”says Henry.

Interior Sanitary restrictions facilitate

Thanks to the BC Vaccine Passport, restrictions in the interior health region will be relaxed, according to Henry.

Last month, as the region continued to see COVID-19 cases on the rise, the province cracked down. Masks were required in all indoor public spaces for those 12 and older, personal gatherings indoors were limited to one household or five guests, backyard gatherings were limited to 50 people, and indoor gatherings such as weddings are also limited to 50 people.

Related Articles:

But with the proof of immunization required to enter non-essential businesses, Henry says, “I’m happy to say that the indoor health restrictions… will now be revised to allow exemptions from the restrictions for those businesses and events that use the. BC vaccine. card to ensure participants are fully immunized.

“This extra layer of protection means that we can now begin to revert to those activities in Interior Health that had been restricted in recent times as cases increased.”

Dr Henry says she understands some people disagree with the vaccine pass, but is very disappointed to see people go after the health workers who have been supporting us for a year and a half.
Be patient, be respectful of the rules, wear masks.# covid19 @ NEWS1130 #bcpoli

– LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 13, 2021

COVID case, death over the weekend

Over the weekend, nine people infected with COVID-19 died, while 1,984 others tested positive for the virus.

Fraser Health and Interior Health each caused three deaths, one person from Vancouver Coastal Health died and two people from Island Health died.

On Saturday 823 cases were recorded, Sunday there were 641 and there have been 520 in the last 24 hours.

There are 278 people in the hospital, including 139 in intensive care.

“From September 3 to 9, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 77.8% of cases and from August 27 to September 27. 9, they accounted for 86.2% of hospitalizations, ”said a statement from the province.

“After controlling for age, unvaccinated people are 34.2 times more likely to be hospitalized than fully vaccinated people. “

Fraser Health and Interior Health account for the majority of new cases.

• Fraser Health: 609 new cases / 1,711 active cases
• Internal health: 542 new cases / 1,618 active cases
• Vancouver Coastal Health: 319 new cases / 945 active cases
• Northern Health: 294 new cases / 931 active cases
• Island Health: 220 new cases / 607 active cases
• Outside Canada: 0 new cases / 13 active cases

There were two new outbreaks in health facilities at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (Interior Health) and Opal by Element (Vancouver Coastal Health), for a total of 24 active outbreaks.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.