Nearly 30K direct care workers fully vaccinated: Shared Health
The majority of direct care workers in Manitoba are fully vaccinated, according to Shared Health.
On Monday, it will be mandatory for front-line health care staff to have both COVID-19 vaccine doses or undergo routine testing. Of the 42,000 staff, physicians, and others with direct contact with patients, residents, clients or their environments, 29,707 have indicated they are fully vaccinated.
Shared Health said as of noon Friday, 26,220 of those reports had been validated, with the rest of the submissions still being confirmed.
“Over the past several weeks, the health system has been working to validate the vaccination status of all direct care workers, either through one-on-one discussions between individuals and their managers, an online portal, and – for those who consent – use of an automated validation process involving use of their personal health identification number,” said a Shared Health spokesperson.
In total, 31,508 workers have completed the disclosure process. Shared Health said 1,801 individuals have been identified as requiring testing. They work in a variety of roles and professions across the province.
Shared Health said staff who are not fully vaccinated will be required to have a current, valid negative test result prior to the start of their shift. They will be required to complete a self-administered rapid test, which in most cases will take place in the workplace.
It said testing is to be completed on the worker’s personal time, with negative results valid for up to 48 hours.
“In addition, all students completing a clinical placement that involves direct care are also required to be fully compliant with the public health orders,” said the spokesperson. “Our partners at the involved educational institutions are supporting validation of vaccination status, or – in some cases – rapid testing of students who are not fully vaccinated.”
Shared Health noted workers who are not fully vaccinated, or have not disclosed their vaccination status, and refuse to participate in regular rapid testing will be immediately placed on an unpaid leave of absence. It said no pension contributions will be submitted while they are on leave and they will not be permitted to access vacation, sick, stat or overtime banks.
Direct care workers will continue to receive reminders through the weekend to complete the online disclosure form.
Shared Health said it expects the number of validated fully vaccinated workers will continue to rise over the weekend and into the coming weeks. It said contingency plans are in place to ensure ongoing health services for Manitobans and to support efficient rapid testing for staff who need it.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.