AHS extending mandatory vaccine deadline as immunization rate hovers at 94 per cent
Alberta Health Services is giving employees “every opportunity” to get vaccinated against COVID-19, including extending the deadline by which they need to prove full immunization in order to keep working.
AHS on Friday pushed the initial Oct. 31 deadline back to Nov. 30.
Officials at the agency said they "stand by" AHS' mandatory vaccine policy and promised it would be fully implemented, but that the change in due date was to give both employees and facility operators more time.
"We are also seeing some challenges with contracted providers, including a number of continuing care sites, particularly those in rural areas where the immunization uptake has been low,” AHS president and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu said.
"I think it just mirrors the immunization rates that we see in the province and how it is disproportionately higher in certain areas versus others.”
She said the challenges are being felt across the province outside Alberta's largest cities.
Operators asked AHS for more time to prepare contingency plans.
“For example, they may not bring in new admissions, as an example, to try to keep the numbers lower. They may look at essential services, what’s essential for that site," Yiu said of options operators could consider if faced with staff shortages.
As of Friday, 94 per cent of all workers across AHS were vaccinated. That included 94 per cent of physicians, 97 per cent of ICU staff, and 76 per cent of casual employees who had submitted proof of full immunization.
A total of 61 employees had quit over the vaccine mandate, including 11 registered nurses and 20 in other clinical roles.
AHS also had more than 1,400 medical or religious exemption requests to review before the deadline, but Yiu said the agency was setting the bar "pretty high."
She told reporters she was confident the extra time would see more staff sign up for COVID-19 vaccine.
Leaders have been directed to meet with employees who either are vaccine hesitant or who have not submitted proof of vaccination.
“These individual conversations are really important, offers to speak to experts, we’ve got resources in place to not just help our managers in the conversation but also educational tools that people can take a look at, and we’re including peer discussions in this because we think it’s important to not just have it come from a leader, but also as colleagues,” AHS' CEO said.
Those who do not have an exemption approved and refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine could be placed on an unpaid leave of absence until they get vaccinated.
Yiu said there's "always been a risk" of further straining the health-care system if employees quit, but that the high number of staff already vaccinated would help.
"I think we have enough staff on right now that we can absorb that and we’re pretty confident, at least from an acute care perspective, that we’ve got enough immunized to be able to offset those who are still waiting to make the decision.”
She added the potential is exacerbated by Alberta's rate of staff vacancy, which moves between 10 and 30 per cent.
The vaccine mandate, announced at the beginning of September, applies to all AHS, Alberta Precision Labs, Carewest, CapitalCare and Covenant Health employees, members of the medical and midwifery staffs, students, and volunteers.
Workers who get vaccinated after Nov. 30 will be able to return to work when they provide proof of full vaccination.
AHS said it was not pursuing terminations for non-compliant staff at the time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
The House is on the brink of approving aid for Ukraine and Israel after months of struggle
The House is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve US$95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.