Alberta Health Services (AHS) said in a Monday news release it's rescinding its Immunization of Workers for COVID-19 Policy..Effective July 18, AHS healthcare workers will no longer be required to be immunized for COVID-19 as a condition of employment..All new hires and students requiring placement in an AHS facility will also no longer be required to be immunized against COVID-19..“We continue to recommend COVID-19 immunization, including all booster doses available, to all of our healthcare workers as part of our overall approach to protect patients and one another," said Mauro Chies, interim president and CEO of AHS. ."The safety of our patients and healthcare workers is of the utmost importance to AHS.".AHS said the policy was introduced when Delta was the dominant variant and the vaccines were "highly effective in protecting the health and safety of workers, patients, and the communities that AHS serves by limiting the spread of COVID-19." ."Current evidence reveals immunization without boosters has limited effectiveness in reducing transmission of the Omicron variants currently circulating," said AHS. .AHS advised a number of safety measures will remain in place to limit the spread of COVID-19 at AHS facilities including workers remaining home when sick, workers continuing to wear personal protective equipment, and practising good hand hygiene. .“We are extremely grateful to all of those healthcare workers who are fully immunized. We would like to thank our key healthcare stakeholders, including our union partners and regulators, for their ongoing support and advocacy for immunization,” said Chies..“The immunization policy was implemented to protect patients, healthcare workers, and the public at a time during the pandemic when the immunization required by the policy was still effective in preventing transmission and when it was needed most to help contain the spread of COVID-19. This was the right policy at the time, and was based on the best evidence available to protect our staff and patients.".“Policies and procedures have had to constantly evolve during the pandemic to reflect significant changes in the virus itself and the ever-changing evidence base as we continue to protect our people and patients.”.AHS said the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters "remain very important in preventing serious illness and deaths" from the virus and continues to encourage all workers and Albertans to "review current evidence from reputable sources to make informed decisions about getting immunized." .NDP Health Critic David Shepherd said the decision to lift the mandatory vaccination policy was "a political decision made by the UCP, and not a clinical one made by AHS.".Shepherd made the statement in a release shortly following the announcement from AHS..“Anyone who is being cared for in a health facility should have the assurance that staff are vaccinated against COVID-19, among many other diseases," said Shepherd in the statement.."It is absurd that protection against COVID-19 is being removed from the list of required vaccinations for new AHS staff. This virus has killed more than 4,600 Albertans, and patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities are most at risk.".Shepherd slammed Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping and said the UCP, while in the midst of a leadership race, are "pandering to an extreme anti-vaccine fringe in the party" and said the decision will put "patients and their families at risk.".“It is truly shameful Minister Copping is validating the false and dangerous anti-vaccine statements made by UCP leadership candidates,” said Shepherd..AHS made the announcement last fall all workers in AHS facilities would be required to be fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. .More than 3,500 healthcare workers pushed back and sent AHS an open letter demanding it drop its mandatory vaccination for staff policy. .READ MORE: Over 3,500 health care workers demand AHS rescind vaccine mandate.The letter’s signatories said they include both vaccinated and unvaccinated physicians, nurses, first responders, and healthcare professionals that oppose the AHS requirement to be fully vaccinated by the end of October, or face job loss..In early October the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) sent AHS a legal warning on behalf of 20 healthcare workers and called its vaccine mandate "threatening and coercive," "morally repugnant," and said it "vitiates any possibility of informed consent." .READ MORE: Justice Centre send AHS legal warning over vaccination mandate.Four Alberta doctors filed a lawsuit October 22 against AHS and then AHS President and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu. .READ MORE: Four Alberta doctors file lawsuit against AHS and Yiu over forced vaccination.Hundreds of AHS workers placed on leave without pay due to the mandatory vaccine policy participated in the Alberta Boot Project that displayed the shoes and boots of actual frontline workers with signs sharing information about the owner of each pair. .READ MORE: Suspended AHS workers show ‘human cost’ of vax-mandate at Alberta Legislature.With the help of the JCCF, another four Alberta doctors sue AHS over its COVID-19 vaccine policy. .“In addition to challenging AHS for constitutional violations, the lawsuit advocates for returning to basic medical principles including recognition of natural immunity, doctor-patient privilege, informed consent, personal autonomy, and duty to disclose,” said the JCCF in a release..All four doctors involved in the lawsuit treated their patients “without incident during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 20 months.”.READ MORE: Another four Alberta docs sue AHS over COVID vaccine mandates.UCP MLA for Airdrie-Cochrane Peter Guthrie came out in January with heavy criticism of AHS and its handling of the pandemic calling it "bloated" and "underperforming." .READ MORE: WATCH: UCP MLA calls AHS ‘bloated’ and ‘underperforming’.“Even at a 90% inoculation rate in those 12 and older, we struggle with capacity,” said Guthrie, criticizing AHS for the lack of available hospital beds throughout the pandemic and the many cancelled surgeries as a result..“And AHS seems to recite the same recycled ideas including masking, passports and other various restrictions.”.Alberta medical students were affected by the AHS mandatory vaccination policy, even after the mandates were lifted across the province. .An unexpected “grey area” was created for students who were permitted to return to their studies by their respective post-secondary institutions, however, their residency placements were put in jeopardy because of lingering mandates in AHS facilities..READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Alberta medical students hit roadblocks with loophole vax mandates.More to come...
Alberta Health Services (AHS) said in a Monday news release it's rescinding its Immunization of Workers for COVID-19 Policy..Effective July 18, AHS healthcare workers will no longer be required to be immunized for COVID-19 as a condition of employment..All new hires and students requiring placement in an AHS facility will also no longer be required to be immunized against COVID-19..“We continue to recommend COVID-19 immunization, including all booster doses available, to all of our healthcare workers as part of our overall approach to protect patients and one another," said Mauro Chies, interim president and CEO of AHS. ."The safety of our patients and healthcare workers is of the utmost importance to AHS.".AHS said the policy was introduced when Delta was the dominant variant and the vaccines were "highly effective in protecting the health and safety of workers, patients, and the communities that AHS serves by limiting the spread of COVID-19." ."Current evidence reveals immunization without boosters has limited effectiveness in reducing transmission of the Omicron variants currently circulating," said AHS. .AHS advised a number of safety measures will remain in place to limit the spread of COVID-19 at AHS facilities including workers remaining home when sick, workers continuing to wear personal protective equipment, and practising good hand hygiene. .“We are extremely grateful to all of those healthcare workers who are fully immunized. We would like to thank our key healthcare stakeholders, including our union partners and regulators, for their ongoing support and advocacy for immunization,” said Chies..“The immunization policy was implemented to protect patients, healthcare workers, and the public at a time during the pandemic when the immunization required by the policy was still effective in preventing transmission and when it was needed most to help contain the spread of COVID-19. This was the right policy at the time, and was based on the best evidence available to protect our staff and patients.".“Policies and procedures have had to constantly evolve during the pandemic to reflect significant changes in the virus itself and the ever-changing evidence base as we continue to protect our people and patients.”.AHS said the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters "remain very important in preventing serious illness and deaths" from the virus and continues to encourage all workers and Albertans to "review current evidence from reputable sources to make informed decisions about getting immunized." .NDP Health Critic David Shepherd said the decision to lift the mandatory vaccination policy was "a political decision made by the UCP, and not a clinical one made by AHS.".Shepherd made the statement in a release shortly following the announcement from AHS..“Anyone who is being cared for in a health facility should have the assurance that staff are vaccinated against COVID-19, among many other diseases," said Shepherd in the statement.."It is absurd that protection against COVID-19 is being removed from the list of required vaccinations for new AHS staff. This virus has killed more than 4,600 Albertans, and patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities are most at risk.".Shepherd slammed Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping and said the UCP, while in the midst of a leadership race, are "pandering to an extreme anti-vaccine fringe in the party" and said the decision will put "patients and their families at risk.".“It is truly shameful Minister Copping is validating the false and dangerous anti-vaccine statements made by UCP leadership candidates,” said Shepherd..AHS made the announcement last fall all workers in AHS facilities would be required to be fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. .More than 3,500 healthcare workers pushed back and sent AHS an open letter demanding it drop its mandatory vaccination for staff policy. .READ MORE: Over 3,500 health care workers demand AHS rescind vaccine mandate.The letter’s signatories said they include both vaccinated and unvaccinated physicians, nurses, first responders, and healthcare professionals that oppose the AHS requirement to be fully vaccinated by the end of October, or face job loss..In early October the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) sent AHS a legal warning on behalf of 20 healthcare workers and called its vaccine mandate "threatening and coercive," "morally repugnant," and said it "vitiates any possibility of informed consent." .READ MORE: Justice Centre send AHS legal warning over vaccination mandate.Four Alberta doctors filed a lawsuit October 22 against AHS and then AHS President and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu. .READ MORE: Four Alberta doctors file lawsuit against AHS and Yiu over forced vaccination.Hundreds of AHS workers placed on leave without pay due to the mandatory vaccine policy participated in the Alberta Boot Project that displayed the shoes and boots of actual frontline workers with signs sharing information about the owner of each pair. .READ MORE: Suspended AHS workers show ‘human cost’ of vax-mandate at Alberta Legislature.With the help of the JCCF, another four Alberta doctors sue AHS over its COVID-19 vaccine policy. .“In addition to challenging AHS for constitutional violations, the lawsuit advocates for returning to basic medical principles including recognition of natural immunity, doctor-patient privilege, informed consent, personal autonomy, and duty to disclose,” said the JCCF in a release..All four doctors involved in the lawsuit treated their patients “without incident during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 20 months.”.READ MORE: Another four Alberta docs sue AHS over COVID vaccine mandates.UCP MLA for Airdrie-Cochrane Peter Guthrie came out in January with heavy criticism of AHS and its handling of the pandemic calling it "bloated" and "underperforming." .READ MORE: WATCH: UCP MLA calls AHS ‘bloated’ and ‘underperforming’.“Even at a 90% inoculation rate in those 12 and older, we struggle with capacity,” said Guthrie, criticizing AHS for the lack of available hospital beds throughout the pandemic and the many cancelled surgeries as a result..“And AHS seems to recite the same recycled ideas including masking, passports and other various restrictions.”.Alberta medical students were affected by the AHS mandatory vaccination policy, even after the mandates were lifted across the province. .An unexpected “grey area” was created for students who were permitted to return to their studies by their respective post-secondary institutions, however, their residency placements were put in jeopardy because of lingering mandates in AHS facilities..READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Alberta medical students hit roadblocks with loophole vax mandates.More to come...
