COVID-19 vaccination mandate deadline approaching for N.S.'s public sector workers
All provincial employees and those who fall under Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate are required to have at least one dose of vaccine by Tuesday, Nov. 30.
Those who are partially vaccinated may be subject to other health and safety measures, including testing, while those who do not have a first dose by the deadline will face employment consequences, including unpaid leave.
At this point, it’s unclear how many employees could be placed on unpaid leave when the mandate comes into effect.
"There seems to be some concerns that we don't know for certain whether or not this is going to impact staffing, but I think that actually points to a bigger problem. Which is that we shouldn't have a system that runs so bare to the bone that minor staffing disruptions can cause this much of a threat,” said Chris Parsons with the Nova Scotia Health Coalition.
Meena MacIsaac, the CEO of Grand View Manor in Berwick, N.S., said like others in the long-term care sector, they were already under significant pressure before the pandemic and looming vaccine mandate.
"In the last three weeks, we've had 19 resignations. Some of them would of course be as a result of the vaccine mandate,” MacIsaac said.
According to MacIsaac, the gaps in staffing means employees are getting burnt out. She said the root cause of staffing shortages in long-term care needs to be addressed to turn the situation around, starting with compensation.
"Our CCA's are the core of our staffing within the province in long-term care and their salaries start at $17.50 an hour, and that's for uncertified CCA's and in Nova Scotia. A CCA that's certified tops out at three years' experience at $18.96,” said MacIsaac. “They can go and get a job in retail or in food services and make just as much."
MacIsaac said she is thankful to staff and designated caregivers for all of their support during this time.
As of Nov. 23, 95 per cent of long-term care employees were fully vaccinated and three per cent were partially vaccinated, with 95 per cent reporting.
Ninety-nine per cent of employees at the IWK Health Centre were double-dosed as of last week and one per cent were partially vaccinated, with 99 per cent reporting.
Meantime, 97 per cent of those in education were fully vaccinated and another two per cent had one shot, with 90 per cent reporting.
Paul Wozney, the president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, said it’s unclear if there will be an impact on operations if some employees are placed on unpaid leave.
"It's impossible to know how many of that one per cent of people aren't vaccinated for legitimate medical reasons and how many might be put on unpaid medical leave. It's less than 91 people in total that are not vaccinated and we know there are definitely people who aren't vaccinated because there are legitimate medical reasons,” said Wozney.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.