health minister adrian dix has said it is likely health care workers are inoculated at a higher rate than the provincial average. as of friday, 73 per cent of british columbians were fully vaccinated.
b.c. has warned operators to be prepared for staff shortages and has set out three tiers of escalating remedies.
in the planning stage, homes are first advised to call on all available employees, hire casual workers, change schedules, offer overtime shifts, cancel discretionary leave, call workers back from vacation and not accept any new residents.
if the shortages continue, operators should be prepared to implement “extraordinary interventions,” including the single-site order exemptions for vaccinated staff and to employ retired workers, those deployed to vaccination centres, students, recent graduates and managers and to use outside service providers, like food delivery services. they should consider cancelling outings, recreational activities and adult day programs for residents and visitors.
“the worst case scenario is that they’re going to start closing beds,” not by removing residents but by suspending admissions, said klassen. “that could exacerbate existing (bed) shortages.”