LAKELAND - Alberta Health Services (AHS) is now mandating all employees and contracted healthcare providers receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and on Tuesday afternoon announced a deadline of Oct. 31 for those affected to be fully vaccinated.
“This is an extraordinary but necessary measure to help protect our vital frontline healthcare teams and help us maintain a safe environment for all patients and clients,” said Dr. Verna Yiu, President and CEO of Alberta Health Services.
Physicians and other frontline healthcare workers are included in the immunization policy. Employees and contracted workers are expected to be fully immunized by Halloween.
"The latest an employee could receive their second dose to be in compliance with the new policy is Oct 16, 2021, which allows for the two weeks that must pass to be considered fully immunized," according to information from AHS.
The step is being taken in order to "protect patients, vulnerable and immuno-compromised Albertans, and anyone who visits or works at any AHS site, including healthcare facilities," according to AHS.
The new policy will apply to all Alberta Health Services, Alberta Precision Labs, Carewest, CapitalCare and Covenant Health employees, members of the medical and midwifery staffs, students, and volunteers, and other persons acting on their behalf. Contracted continuing care providers, as well as all contracted healthcare workers acting on behalf of AHS are included in the policy too.
Details respecting the specific compliance requirements for other contracted service providers, such as continuing care, will be communicated directly to the contracted service providers. AHS says the policy is in line with work that's being done to keep hospital and healthcare facilities safe during the pandemic.
"Evidence confirms that being fully immunized mitigates potential harm to patients and healthcare workers. Healthcare workers have an ethical and professional responsibility to protect others. Vaccination is a tool to assist in meeting this standard," says AHS.
Any employee who is unable to be immunized due to a medical reason, or for another protected ground under the Alberta Human Rights Act, will be "reasonably accommodated."
Active cases
According to the most recent update, 920 new COVID-19 cases had been confirmed in Alberta. There are 431 people in hospital due to the virus, and 106 people in intensive care.
The MD of Bonnyville region now has 213 active cases of COVID-19, and the nearby community of Cold Lake is now also over 100 cases. The provincial map is showing 108 active cases in Cold Lake.
The St. Paul region is showing 56 active cases, and the neighbouring municipality of Smoky Lake is showing 52 active cases.
To the north, the Lac La Biche region is showing 26 active cases of the respiratory virus.
. By Map courtesy Government of Alberta, Aug. 31, 2021.
