Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said high vaccination rates among health professionals helped avoid significant strain on the healthcare system during the Omicron wave. (BC Government/Flickr)

By Jordan Davidson

data dump

94 per cent of health care providers in B.C. are vaccinated against COVID-19

May 10, 2022 | 4:51 PM

NANAIMO —With a 98 per cent vaccination rate, B.C.’s dietitians, physicians and surgeons are leading the way compared to other health care groups in the province.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry spoke about the COVID-19 vaccination status of regulated health professionals at a Tuesday, May 10 news conference.

She said they released vaccination rates for 17 out of the 18 health regulatory colleges in B.C., and the data likely underestimates the complete scope of vaccination coverage in those areas.

“The College of Nurses and Midwives have had some challenge in getting the status, and there is also a column where people are either known to be non-vaccinated or for whom we don’t yet have information.”

Dr. Henry said there is also a regular influx of new workers to those sectors, which can also make it difficult to have a complete vaccination picture in any of the colleges.

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The health regulatory colleges with the lowest vaccination rates include traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists at 79 per cent, chiropractors at 78.1 per cent, and naturopathic physicians at 69.2 per cent.

Henry said she is proud to see these high vaccination rates from health care providers, which averages out to 93.9 per cent vaccinated or medically exempt.

“Because we have this very high rate of protection… it has meant we have weathered this Omicron storm over the last few months without an overwhelming strain on our healthcare system that has been seen in some other jurisdictions. But, it has not been easy in any way.”

This data comes after Dr. Henry issued a health order on March 7, 2022, requiring these practicing regulated health professionals to disclose their vaccination status,

While the data does not yet include the vaccination status from the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives, health minister Adrian Dix said those numbers would only increase the 93.9 per cent average.

“We know the vast majority of nurses work in the public health care system, and the vast majority of those nurses have been vaccinated to the tune of 99 per cent.”

The province said this information was collected so the public would be able to make informed decisions about whether they want to receive in-person treatment from a particular health care provider.

A full list of published data on the vaccination status of regulated health professionals can be found here on the government of B.C.’s website.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow