In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix announced that health care workers at long-term and assisted-living facilities must receive a COVID-19 vaccination within two months.
Dr. Bonnie Henry announced mandatory vaccines for all health care workers working in long-term care and assisted-living facilities on Thursday, August 12th and said workers must get at least one dose by October 12th.
Until then, unvaccinated staff will be required to wear PPE and be regularly tested.
Currently there are eight outbreaks in long-term care and assisted-living facilities.
Holyrood Manor, Kin Village West Court and Evergreen Baptist Care Society in Fraser Health; Nelson Jubilee Manor, Kootenay Street Village, Cottonwoods Care Centre and Brookhaven Care Centre in Interior Health; and Discovery Harbour in Island Health are all experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks.
As of Wednesday, 82.2% of eligible people 12 and older in BC have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 71.1% have received their second dose.
In addition, 83.0% of all eligible adults in BC received their first dose and 72.9% received their second dose.
In July, Dr. Bonnie Henry said that symptomatic breakthrough cases were rare, with less than 5% of fully-vaccinated individuals being infected by COVID-19.
As of last week, Dr. Bonnie Henry said that 95% of those who are infected either haven’t been vaccinated or have only had one shot.
