The Provincial Health Officer (PHO) has announced that a written order is imminent that requires vaccination as a condition of employment as of October 26, 2021 for employees who work in acute care hospitals, all home support workers who interact with clients, and other health sector staff who interact with patients/clients/residents in facility and community care settings such as adult day care, mental health services, home nursing care, nursing support services in schools, patient medical homes, community health centres, public health units, emergency health services, and laboratory and diagnostic facilities.

We were hoping that the order would have been published by now but it hasn't been. The PHO assures us that it is imminent. But until the order is published we don't know for sure who is covered. 

If you believe that you may be covered by such an order given the current statements of the PHO, you won't be allowed to work and therefore won't be paid on October 26 without having received your second vaccination dose by October 25. The shortest time allowed between first and second doses is 28 days which means the last day to receive a first dose (without incurring a pay loss on October 26) was Monday, September 27.

Your union continues to work with government officials at all levels to ensure that off work/ off pay periods are covered by EI and that loss of employment isn't permanent. None of those discussions have been finalized in the absence of the published PHO Order. So this is a period of great uncertainty if you have not yet been vaccinated. 

We're hopeful that when the order is published these timelines are adjusted but the PHO has made no statement indicating that will happen. The safest course to avoid pay loss was to get your first dose on or before September 27. 
 
If you're relying on a medical exemption you should be aware that the PHO has posted the criteria for which medical exemption will be granted at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/covid-19/pho-guidance-covid-19-vaccines-contraindications-deferrals.pdf. It is rare for these criteria to be met. Without going into the details, the criteria for religious exemption are also rarely met. 
 
We will update you as quickly as we can as this situation becomes clearer. 

In solidarity, 

Mahen Ramdharry, Vice-President Health Services
Component 4 

UWU/MoveUP