All health-care professionals in B.C. must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by March 24, provincial health care officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Wednesday (Feb. 9).
Henry had initially hinted that such a mandate would come in the all after she announced that first long-term care workers and then all health-care workers attached to a health authority must be vaccinated.
This new mandate will have a phased approach, allowing for health-care workers who receive their first dose by March 24 to continue working as long as they receive their second dose within 28-35 days.
Henry said that the health-care workers that fall under B.C.’s list of regulated health professions will be affected by the incoming rules. These professions include:
* acupuncturists
* audiologists
* chiropractic doctors (chiropractors)
* certified dental assistants
* dental hygienists
* dentists
* dental technicians
* dental therapists
* denturists
* dietitians
* hearing instrument practitioners
* massage therapists
* midwives
* naturopathic physicians (naturopaths)
* nurse practitioners
* registered nurses
* occupational therapists
* opticians
* optometrists
* pharmacists
* pharmacy technicians
* physical therapists (physiotherapists)
* physicians and surgeons
* podiatric surgeons (podiatrists)
* licensed practical nurses
* registered psychiatric nurses
* psychologists
* speech-language pathologists
* traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners
READ MORE: Mandatory COVID vaccines for private practitioners are coming: B.C. health officials
Questioned about the delay in announcing a deadline for these final health-care workers, Henry said there was a lot of “legalese” to sort out between the different regulatory colleges and organizations that regulate these professions.
