By Connor Gunn/LethbridgeNewsNOW

"Extraordinary but necessary measure"

Alberta Health requiring all physicians, staff, and contracted providers to be fully vaccinated

Aug 31, 2021 | 5:05 PM

EDMONTON, AB – Alberta Health Services(AHS) announced that all employees and contracted healthcare providers that are able to be fully vaccinated have to be immunized by October 31, 2021.

The policy will apply to all AHS, Alberta Precision Labs, Carewest, CapitalCare, and Covenant Health employees, members of the medical and midwifery staffs, students, and volunteers, and other persons acting on their behalf.

“This necessary step is required to protect patients, vulnerable and immuno-compromised Albertans, and anyone who visits or works at any AHS site, including healthcare facilities,” the release reads.

Anyone that cannot receive a vaccine due to a medical reason will be excused from the policy.

AHS says any staff members that choose not to receive the vaccine will be addressed and will be educated on the benefits that the COVID vaccine provides.

mayor hopes to meet housing minister this month

Alberta demands Ottawa back off on housing funding stripped from Red Deer

17h ago

Last seen Jan. 15

Missing: Courtney Cattleman, 17, of Maskwacis

22h ago

eyes up

Air Spray training around Red Deer Regional Airport

22h ago

Dr. Verna Yiu, President and CEO of AHS, says this next step is “necessary.”

“This is an extraordinary but necessary measure to help protect our vital frontline healthcare teams and help us maintain a safe environment for all patients and clients.”

“Over the last year and a half, our teams have continued to provide incredible care to anyone who needs it, under extremely trying circumstances. We are grateful for their efforts and are committed to ensuring the safety of our facilities.”

AHS says this policy is to prevent outbreaks in AHS facilities, to preserve workforce capacity to support the healthcare system, and to protect our workers, patients, visitors, and others accessing AHS facilities.

“The latest an employee could receive their second dose to be in compliance with the new policy is Oct 16, 2021, which allows for the two weeks that must pass to be considered fully immunized,” the province reiterates.

COVID-19 immunization appointments on or before September 6 can be booked through ahs.ca/vaccine.

“AHS is taking an extraordinary step in requiring all of its workers to be vaccinated. Our caucus supports this step as a necessary measure to protect the lives of Albertans,” said NDP Health Critic David Shepherd, in a press release, responding to the initiative.

“But Albertans must ask themselves: what planet is Jason Kenney living on?

“How does his Finance Minister shrug off the coming weeks as ‘a little bit bumpy’ only hours before the head of AHS takes this unprecedented step? Dr. Yiu says AHS is scrambling to open more ICU and acute care capacity but has no idea how to staff those beds. I respect that Dr. Yiu is taking the actions that are available to her.

“But where is the Premier? Apparently he’s back from vacation. I take no issue with him taking some time off, but he left no one in charge, no one accountable to the very Albertans that elected him. And now it seems the man who once said he is responsible for Alberta’s pandemic response is still hiding from reality and hiding from the Albertans he has a responsibility to serve.”