All B.C. health-care workers will be required to be vaccinated by March 24.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Wednesday the new requirements are being introduced to ensure “we have a consistent, supportive standard across healthcare so that all regulated health professionals are held to the same standard.”
The province previously gave notice of such plans back in October but has been working with health professional colleges to “sort through the details of that vaccine requirement,” according to B.C.’s top doctor.
Health professionals will need at least one dose by March 24 and can continue working as long as they get their second dose 28-35 days after their first one.
Other health professionals, such as those working in community health settings, long-term care and acute care, have been required to be fully vaccinated since last fall.
This new mandate now applies to health professionals such as dentists and massage therapists.
“The colleges have all been behind this and we’ve been working very closely on them. It turned out to be much more complex than we originally thought,” Henry said when asked about the delay between when notice was given and the solidified date offered Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Henry said details about the province’s “sustainable management strategy” for the pandemic would be unveiled next week.
“You will hear less about the pandemic as we get through this and more about how we continue to manage our personal risks,” she said.
