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
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.