B.C. mandates vaccines for 30,000 provincial employees
Posted October 5, 2021 6:04 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Roughly 30,000 government employees in B.C. have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 22 and they’ll have to prove it using the Vaccine Card.
The BC Public Service Agency says the vaccination requirement is part of an effort to increase immunization rates throughout the province and the deadline gives them enough time to get both doses.
“As more employees return to their regular workplaces later in the fall, this provides an additional and reassuring layer of protection for workers who are continuing the vital work of serving British Columbians,” a release from the province reads.
BC has set a deadline for 30,000 public service workers to be fully vaccinated— Nov 22.#bcpoli #covid19 @NEWS1130 @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/8Pi61tZe57
— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) October 5, 2021
CUPE BC, which is the union representing more than 100,000 workers in the province, is for the mandate and says “it makes sense.”
However, CUPE BC President Karen Ranalletta added, there is a “next logical step.”
“Given the rise in COVID cases in our schools, we think it also seems prudent to apply this mandate to the K-12 system,” she said.
“We are urging the provincial government to develop a uniform set of standards to guide the implementation of mandates so that all districts—and all employees—have a consistent framework. And of course, there needs to be a reasonable accommodation for the small number of education workers with recognized human rights exemptions.”
Details about accommodations for those who aren’t unable to get the shot will be announced next month.
As of Tuesday, 82 per cent of eligible adults in B.C. have been fully vaccinated.
