The deadline for BC healthcare workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 arrives Tuesday.
The provincial ordinance covers doctors, nurses, students, residents, contractors, volunteers and all other health professionals.
Premier John Horgan hopes the small number of workers who resist vaccination will get the information they need to get vaccinated.
Those who have not received their first dose of vaccine by the deadline cannot work unless they have a recognized exemption.
The order says unvaccinated workers who receive their first injection before Nov. 15 will be able to return to work seven days after the first dose, but they will need to wear personal protective equipment and take other precautions until they are they receive their second injection.
The health ministry says 94% of healthcare workers in British Columbia were fully vaccinated as of Oct. 24, while 3% were not and 2% had only received a single dose.
Overall, British Columbia achieved an 89.6% vaccination rate for the first injections among eligible people aged 12 and older, and 84.4% received their second dose.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province’s chief medical officer of health, and Dr. Penny Ballem, head of the BC vaccination deployment team, will provide an update on the pandemic on Tuesday.