Delta schools mandating COVID-19 vaccine for staff

Delta has become the first and only school district in Metro Vancouver to move forward with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for staff.

B.C. has not mandated immunization for staff province-wide, instead leaving the decision up to individual districts and providing guidelines for implementation.

Delta’s Board of Education announced a plan to follow these guidelines and develop a policy on Wednesday “to help protect the health and safety of both staff and students.”

Yesterday, the Delta Board of Education directed the school district to implement a Proof of Vaccination Procedure for staff to help protect the health and safety of both staff and students. Learn more: https://t.co/7PveCStQ7y pic.twitter.com/iPVSJ7qdk9

— DeltaSchoolDistrict (@deltasd37) January 12, 2022

Staff will have six weeks, starting on Jan.17, to disclose their vaccination status. Those who do not disclose, or have not been vaccinated will have to undergo daily rapid testing or take an unpaid leave of absence.

“We continue to hear from public health of the need for unvaccinated people to get immunized as soon as possible as vaccines reduce people’s risk of severe illness,” said Board Chair Val Windsor in a statement.

“We feel very strongly about protecting our students and staff. We believe anything we can do to reduce their risk of getting COVID, lessen the severity of their symptoms or reduce their time away from work or school is worth doing. After reviewing the many factors involved in this extremely sensitive and highly complex issue, the Board of Trustees believes introducing a proof of vaccination requirement is the right decision for public schools in Delta. We strongly urge any employees who have not yet been fully vaccinated to do so as soon as possible.”

The province released its guidelines on mandatory vaccines for school staff in October of 2021. Every other city in Metro Vancouver announced a decision not to make the shot compulsory soon after.