Private healthcare providers, dentists to be required to have COVID-19 vaccines

Under current health orders, private healthcare providers are not required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 but that will soon change.

“We are currently working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, as well as other health regulatory colleges, to develop policies to ensure anyone providing medical care in B.C. is vaccinated,” according to a Ministry of Health statement.

“Implementing the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies for health care workers has been a staged process, which started with the highest risk areas of long-term care and assisted living homes, and now the broader healthcare hospitals and community care sector.”

The ministry is working with health professional regulatory colleges to assess the vaccination status of health professionals and to develop policies to ensure they’re fully vaccinated. The new order will be released once those details are determined, according to the ministry.

Bethany Benoit-Kelly, senior communications manager with the College of Dental Surgeons in B.C., said via email, the provincial health officer confirmed all regulated health professionals, including oral health professionals, will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"The office of the Provincial Health Officer has confirmed that all regulated health professionals, including all oral health professionals, and the unregulated staff in their offices or businesses, will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect patients.

"We expect that these requirements, and the timeline for implementation, will be laid out in detail in a new public health order," she said.


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Carli Berry

Carli Berry has been telling stories in the Okanagan for the past three years and after finding her footing in the newspaper industry, joined the Infonews team in January 2020. Recipient of the 2019 MA Murray award for feature writing, Carli is passionate about stories that involve housing, business and the environment. Born on Vancouver Island, she is happy to say Okanagan Lake reminds, her slightly, of the ocean. Carli can be reached at (250) 864-7494 or email cberry@infonews.ca.

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