B.C. Nurses Union says province reverses controversial flu-shot policy

VANCOUVER – The union representing British Columbia’s nurses says members won’t be forced to wear masks and stickers if they’re not vaccinated against the flu.

British Columbia’s health officer Dr. Perry Kendall announced the policy this past August, arguing low vaccination rates among health professionals were putting patients at risk.

But the British Columbia Nurses Union says the provincial government has backed off on the policy following a “strong public campaign” by members.

The union says the provincial government will provide nurses with more information about the value of immunization and provide on-site flu clinics for members.

It says the government will also work with unions and employers to determine the best way to increase vaccination rates.

In November, a doctor with the U.K.-based Cochrane Collaboration publicly questioned the evidence used to justify the mandatory flu-shot policy.