B.C. releases COVID vaccination rates by health profession

B.C. has shared a list of COVID vaccination rates among 17 different registered health professionals.

“The goal is sharing the status to make sure members of the public have the general vaccination information they need to help them make informed decisions as they seek treatment or services from a regulated health professional,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix.

“Data that we’re reporting on today are for 17 of the 18 colleges. About 94 per cent overall have been vaccinated or are medically exempt.”

The professions with the highest vaccination rates are physicians and surgeons, as well as dieticians. The province reports 98 per cent for each of those groups.

At least 96 per cent of registered occupational therapists, pharmacists, optometrists, pharmacy technicians, and psychologists are also either vaccinated or exempt.

The groups with the lowest percentages are naturopathic physicians (69.2%), chiropractors (78.1%), and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists (79%).

“We know that some regulated health professionals have views about vaccination and we have only recently had alternatives to the mRNA vaccines available for some people and that’s an important choice for some practitioners,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, adding “this will change over time.”

Vaccination rates by regulated B.C. health-care profession:

• chiropractors: 78.1%
• dental hygienists: 92.6%
• dental technicians: 90.7%
• dentists: 95.9%
• dental assistants: 92.8%
• denturists: 92.9%
• dieticians: 98%
• massage therapists: 87.9%
• naturopathic physicians: 69.2%
• occupational therapists: 96.9%
• opticians: 94.9%
• optometrists: 96.0%
• pharmacists: 96.7%
• pharmacy technicians: 96.8%
• physical therapists: 95.2%
• physicians and surgeons: 98.0%
• psychologists: 96.1%
• audiologists/hearing instrument practitioners: 91.9%
• speech language pathologists: 92.9%
• traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists: 79.0%

 

The BC College of Nurses and Midwives is not included in the figures released on Monday, with the province saying “complete reporting” is expected in the coming weeks.

“We know that the vast majority of nurses work in the public health-care system, and the vast majority of those nurses have been vaccinated to the tune of 99 per cent. So when those numbers are introduced finally into these numbers, we’ll see them go up not down. The nurses are extremely well vaccinated in B.C.,” Dix said.

The vaccination status of individual practitioners are not being released. Henry says it’s a balance between disclosure of personal information and addressing the “overriding interest” of patient safety.

“It has to be done in a way that doesn’t put a person who has concerns about receiving certain services in-person and wants to make that informed decision themselves at a disadvantage.”

Related articles:

• Some provinces moving fast to end COVID measures as B.C. awaits details

• All B.C. health care workers soon required to be fully vaccinated

In February, B.C. announced all provincially regulated health-care workers would be required to be fully vaccinated by March 24.

Dr. Bonnie Henry explained on Feb. 9 the move was made to ensure “we have a consistent, supported standard across health care so that all regulated health professionals are held to the same standard.”

The vaccination data provided on Tuesday was accurate as of Apr. 25, the province said.

With files from Nikitha Martins