Victoria (NEWS 1130) — When BC’s new vaccine passport came into effect on Monday, the state announced that all healthcare workers would soon need to be vaccinated with COVID-19.
All healthcare professionals working in acute care and community care are required to be vaccinated from October 26th. This order also applies to people working in home care, but not to people who are not employed in the state. They include practitioners, community doctors, and physiotherapists.
Details of workers with medical conditions that prevent vaccination will be announced shortly.
“Our hospital is currently tense,” says Dr. Henry.
As a person, the best way to reduce our community risk and get back to what we want to do is to get vaccinated.# COVID19 @ NEWS1130 #bcpoli-LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 13, 2021
According to Dr. Bonnie Henry of the State Department of Health, overall vaccination is high in health care. She states that about 96% of doctors are vaccinated and the proportion of nurses is high in the 80’s and 90’s.
“This is an important part of us and our responsibility as a healthcare professional … to keep ourselves healthy and able to take care of people, especially during these stressful times. But it may also help prevent it from infecting colleagues or the vulnerable people we care about. “
While there is a national shortage of health care workers, Henry acknowledges that the order can be stressful.
“But I also confirm from professional organizations around this state-wide healthcare professional that they and their colleagues are vaccinated to best protect each other, as well as us. I also know that there is very strong support to ensure that we can continue to provide care. “
Immunodeficiency to receive booster shots
The state also announced that a third dose will be available to people with severe immunodeficiency.
“People with immunodeficiency also do not respond to vaccines and have a reduced ability to fight infection, which gives them sufficient antibodies to be protected, not responding properly to the first two doses. This means that it may not have been possible, and this puts them at a much higher risk than most of us, “explains Henry.
“For these people, most of us need a third dose to give enough protection to get after the first series of two doses.”
NEW: A third dose will be started for the person with the weakest immunity in BC. Dr. Henry states that this follows federal guidelines and is intended for people who have a less strong immune response and need additional protection.# COVID19 @ NEWS1130 #bcpoli
-LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 13, 2021
According to the state, this group includes about 300,000 people who are clinically very vulnerable to COVID-19. However, a subset of this group is about 15,000 people with severe immunodeficiency who are invited to receive a third dose this week.
These people will receive a text or email invitation this week for their third dose.
Henry still urges people with severe immunodeficiency to continue to take precautions to avoid exposure.
The BC Immunization Commission will consider a second group of approximately 120,000 people who are in a “moderate” immunodeficiency state and may require a third dose. This group will be updated from late September to early October.
“If you didn’t receive the invitation, you don’t need a third dose at this time,” says Henry.
Interior health restrictions Simple
According to Henry, British Columbia will ease restrictions on vaccine passports in interior health areas.
Last month, the state cracked down as the number of cases of COVID-19 continued to increase in the region. Masks were required in all indoor public spaces over the age of 12. Indoor private gatherings were limited to one household or five guests, backyard gatherings were limited to 50 people, and indoor organized gatherings such as weddings were also limited to 50 people.
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But with the vaccination evidence needed to enter a non-essential business, Henry said: A card to confirm that participants are fully vaccinated. “
“That additional layer of protection means that as the number of cases increases, we can return to interior health activities that have been restricted for the last few moments.”
Dr. Henry understands that some people disagree with the vaccine path, but when he sees people adopting it to healthcare professionals who have supported us for the past year and a half. He says he is very disappointed.
Be patient, respect the rules and wear a mask.# COVID19 @ NEWS1130 #bcpoli-LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 13, 2021
COVID case, weekend death
Over the weekend, nine people infected with COVID-19 died, and an additional 1,984 were virus-positive.
Fraser Health and Interior Health each accounted for three deaths, one at Vancouver Coastal Health and two at Island Health.
823 cases were recorded on Saturday, 641 cases were recorded on Sunday, and 520 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours.
There are 278 people in the hospital, of which 139 are in the intensive care unit.
“From September 3 to 9, fully unvaccinated people accounted for 77.8% of cases and from August 27 to September. 9 They accounted for 86.2% of hospitalizations,” said the state. The statement states.
“After considering age, unvaccinated people are 34.2 times more likely to be hospitalized than fully vaccinated people.”
Fraser Health and Interior Health make up the majority of new cases.
- Fraser Health: 609 new cases / 1,711 active cases
- Interior Health: 542 new cases / 1,618 active cases
- Vancouver Coastal Health: 319 new cases / 945 active cases
- Northern Health: 294 new cases / 931 active cases
- Island Health: 220 new cases / 607 active cases
- Outside Kanda: 0 new cases / 13 active cases
There were two new medical facility outbreaks at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (Interior Health) and Opal by Element (Vancouver Coastal Health), for a total of 24 outbreaks.
This is a developing story. Please check for updates.
