School districts in BC will now be required to verify the vaccination status of staff.
On Monday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry posted an order online that school administrators “must request proof of vaccination from each staff member and must keep a record of each staff member’s vaccination status.”
Whether they are public or private schools, administrators can now be asked to report information about staff vaccinations when required by a medical health officer, on a school-by-school basis.
However, the information will be provided in a way that doesn’t identify individuals.
In her order, Dr. Henry says a lack of information about vaccination status in school settings interferes with efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 in schools.
The provincial health officer says it “constitutes a health hazard under the Public Health Act.”
Unless a school district has implemented a local vaccine mandate, being vaccinated for COVID-19 is not a requirement to work in schools.
Dr. Bonnie Henry says the reason for the order is that unvaccinated employees are at a higher risk of infecting others with COVID-19.
Dr. Henry says information about staff vaccination rates will help mitigate the risk and respond to exposures and outbreaks in schools.
