Thread by @cbcnewsbc

LIVE: B.C. health officials provide COVID-19 update for Aug. 12, 2021 #covid19 #covid19bc twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Health Minister Adrian Dix: We are seeing additional cases - more than 500 cases yesterday - and some increase in outbreaks. Not qualitatively the same as they were from Nov-February in long-term care, but nonetheless, they are concerning.

BREAKING: B.C. will mandate vaccines for all those working in long-term care and assisted living, says Health Minister Adrian Dix. #COVID19BC

Dr. Bonnie Henry: 8 outbreaks have been introduced in long-term care through unvaccinated people.

Dr. Henry: We need to take an additional step to reduce transmission. Vaccination will be a condition of employment for all workers in long-term and seniors assisted living. This will apply to all licensed facilities - private, health-authority owned, or contracted.

Dr. Henry: This is a provincial health order. The order will ensure all information on immunization status is provided to the province. Info broken down by facility + residents and staff. This helps us assess risk and outbreak potential.

Dr. Henry: Everybody - all workers, in all facilities - will need to be fully vaccinated by October of this year.

Dr. Henry: In the interim, unvaccinated staff will be masked and tested regularly.

Dr. Henry: This new order will also apply to volunteers and personal-service workers who go into facilities. We no longer will allow anyone who is not fully vaccinated to be a volunteer or personal service worker.

Dr. Henry: We understand a small percentage of people cannot be vaccinated, and in those rare exceptions, public health will work with those people and with their employers to ensure provisions are in place.

Dr. Henry: This is one additional measure that will ensure that we have the best protections possible, and that makes sure we can return to the quality of life that our seniors deserve.

Dr. Henry: Reporting requirements that are part of this order will apply to health-care workers outside of long-term care. We will be working with unions and employers in coming weeks to determine our path forward for all health-care workers in B.C.

Q: A number of Ontario universities have mandated vaccines. Should B.C. follow suit or stick to provincial guidelines?

Henry: We are addressing these questions with our provincial steering committee. Active discussions are happening right now. We will have more to say next week.

Q: Was the projection to fully return to post-secondary premature?

Henry: We are adapting and learning, such as this new order we put in place today. We're in a different place though. Most transmission is now in unvaccinated people. The way we address that is not the same.

Q: Are you expecting legal action against your new order?

Henry: We sought legal advice. B.C.'s privacy commissioner OK'd the order. We need to provide seniors with the best protection possible.

Q: Does this order open the door to mandating vaccines in other workplaces?

Dix: Work in post-secondary is ongoing. We are looking at all measures. We need vaccination numbers to be higher. [1/2]

Dix: "It is not mandatory for a citizen to be vaccinated in B.C., but there are things that you may not be able to do if you are not vaccinated." [2/2]

Q: Some businesses say they will only hire vaccinate workers and unvaccinated workers will be fired. Do you encourage this?

Dr. Henry: Businesses need to make these decisions based on risk. I do think it's a perfectly valid thing. Outbreaks can severely impact businesses.

Q: If businesses are non-essential, can they impose vaccine rules on workers?

Dr. Henry: Absolutely. That is a business decision. I've had talks with faith leaders about encouraging only immunized people to attend services. They do not need an order from me to do that.

Q: Can you provide data on kids under 12 who are hospitalized?

Dr. Henry: There are no kids under the age of 12 hospitalized in B.C. right now. In the past month, 2 children under 12 were hospitalized in Interior Health region. Both kids have been discharged.

Q: Why are stronger restrictions not being applied outside of the Central Okanagan?

Dr. Henry: We are in a different place. There are a couple of places with spikes, but they are often related to a single event. We can catch and isolate before it spreads. [1/2]

Dr. Henry: We also see different patterns in different parts of the province. Right now we don’t think we need to take blanket measures, but we will if we need to. [2/2]

Q: Sports and cultural event organizers are considering proof of vaccine. Thoughts?

Henry: Sports games, concerts are examples of higher-risk settings. If you choose not to be immunized, then you don’t necessarily have the right to go into a place with people who are immunized.