With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact the lives of area residents and other Albertans, the UCP government’s decision to walk back plans requiring all health-care workers to be fully vaccinated creates new uncertainty.
Premier Jason Kenney and Health Minister Jason Copping said the government has directed Alberta Health Services (AHS) to introduce frequent and targeted COVID-19 testing at some health facilities.
The policy that was supposed to come into effect on Dec. 13 would have required non-vaccinated AHS employees who had not been granted exemptions to be placed on unpaid leave of absence.
The government has now decided to set aside that vaccination requirement in some instances and instead require rapid testing at some facilities.
The new policy will apply to health sites considered at “significant risk of service disruptions” resulting from staff shortages that may have been created by the removal of non-vaccinated staff.
“I’ve heard from many Albertans, especially in smaller communities, who are worried this policy will impact patient care,” said Minister Copping. “We fully support AHS’ immunization policy, and I appreciate the tens of thousands of health-care workers who have made the right choice to get vaccinated. This directive is about protecting patient care, primarily in rural areas, which will always be my top priority.”
Without the change in policy there was the possibility that some residents requiring critical medical care would be endangered because not enough hospital staff would be on the job, he said.
AHS president Dr. Verna Yiu added: “It is disappointing that about 3,000 of our staff have either not submitted proof of vaccination or have decided to remain unvaccinated.”
Hopefully the rapid testing requirement for non-vaccinated AHS employees will be effective in keeping COVID-19 out of hospitals in this district and elsewhere in Alberta.
However, if non-vaccinated health workers end up bringing the deadly disease into health facilities and killing patients as a result, Albertans will be right to question this latest policy change.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
