Health care workers in B.C. who don't get a flu shot this year will be required to wear a mask when dealing with patients, which has left some groups up in arms while others are applauding.
The new regulation was announced Thursday by provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall, who noted only about half of health care workers in B.C. get the flu vaccine.
The new rule is intended to reduce the risk of infection among the most vulnerable people in the province, such as the elderly.
The B.C. Nurses' Union, however, is concerned the health authorities are unfairly pressuring health care workers to get the vaccine.
"Our union has always encouraged our members to get a flu shot as a sound preventative health measure," said Margaret Dhillon, executive councillor for the B.C. Nurses' Union, in a recent release. "Nurses are doing their best to provide quality care for patients in very challenging conditions. We have always believed that the flu vaccination program is most effective when it is based on education and not punishment."
In response to the union's concerns, a meeting has been called for Monday with the nurses' union, the Health Employers' Association of B.C. and a chief medical officer.
The union wants to "see and evaluate the science of the wearing of masks by staff who have not been immunized."
Meanwhile, the B.C. Lung Association is calling the health authority's decision a wise move.
"We are very supportive of the decision by British Columbia health authorities to require their staff, associates and volunteers take further measures to protect themselves and their patients from influenza," said B.C. Lung Association CEO, Scott McDonald, in a release on Friday.
"Each year, hundreds of people across B.C. die from complications due to influenza, and the people who health care workers come into contact with are among the most vulnerable. This step will protect patients and reduce the transmission of flu."
