Manitoba doctor frustrated with ending of vaccine requirements

Proof of vaccination requirements will be coming to an end in Manitoba on March 1 and that will apply to health-care workers as well.

But one doctor in the province says he is extremely angry to see the vaccine requirement coming to an end.

"The provincial government has basically said that if you are too young to be vaccinated, if you are immunocompromised, elderly with chronic medical conditions, the province has declared COVID over and the province doesn't care whether potentially infected health-care workers might endanger your life," said Dr. Doug Eyolfson, who is a physician in emergency and intensive care.

He said he can't think of a single reason why the province is relaxing the vaccine requirement.

"In all non-essential public areas, and particularly in the public service areas, essential services like education and health care, what earthly reason is there to relax the requirement that all staff be vaccinated?"

Eyolfson said he has heard from other health-care professionals and said they are nervous about the changes.

"We have – in Manitoba and other provinces – relaxed health restrictions too soon and we paid for it. We thought people learned their lesson when the second wave came. We're coming off the fifth wave and it's as if the authorities don't know."

Manitoba plans on loosening the rest of its restrictions on March 15, which includes removing the mask mandate for indoor public places.