In response to the provincial health officer’s decision to end the COVID-19 public-health emergency, which ends the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in health-care settings, the Province is making it mandatory for health-care workers to disclose their immunization status as a way to help keep people safe.
Moving forward, all health-care workers in public health-care facilities must report their immunization for COVID-19 and influenza and their immune status for other critical vaccine preventable diseases. Collecting these records will allow for quick action to be taken in the event of an exposure, outbreak or future pandemic to ensure health-care workers who are not immune follow appropriate measures. Depending on the circumstances, this could include masking, modified duties or exclusion from work.
The mandatory reporting requirement comes into effect on Friday, July 26, 2024, and applies to health-care workers in health-authority-operated and contracted facilities, and includes doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, volunteers and contractors.
Health-care workers who were terminated because they did not comply with previous orders requiring COVID-19 immunization can apply and be hired for positions.
Through the new reporting process, health-authority employers will be able to regularly connect with health-care workers, such as contractors, to ensure their vaccination status is up to date. The Province will offer vaccinations to employees and contractors as needed to ensure their health and that of their patients.
For more info, read the full BC Gov News release: "COVID-19 public-health emergency ends, new vaccine registry will keep people safe"