FORT ST. JOHN -- The BC United and the BC Conservative parties have been sparing over who gets credit for pressuring the NDP Government to drop the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
Two weeks ago, Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said that all remaining restrictions, including the vaccination requirement for health-care workers, will be rescinded.
"While COVID-19 is not gone, we now have high levels of protection in the health-care system and in communities throughout B.C.," she told a news conference.
The restrictions associated with the pandemic, including vaccine mandates, had become political flashpoints in B.C., across Canada and beyond.
The two parties have been calling on Northern Health to help alleviate the chronic staffing shortage, by re-hiring nurses that were fired for refusing to get a covid-19 shot.
But according to BC's Health Minister, the number of full time Registered Nurses fired in all of Northern BC is 3.
However CJDC TV News has learned from sources close to the ministry, that 7 part-time Licensed Practical Nurses were also let go for refusing to be vaccinated.
Northern Health said there are almost 2,867 nurses working in Northern BC. That amounts to 30-percent of the health authority's total workforce.
While nurses are now welcome to re-apply for their positions, they still need to report what their vaccination status is, whether they've had a shot or not.
CJDC TV News has reached out to Adrian Dix's office a number of times over the past 6 months to verify the number of nurses fired. Our emails and numerous phone calls have not been returned.
With files from The Canadian Press
