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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