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COVID-19 vaccine policy updated for Alberta health care workers

EDMONTON, AB – Alberta Health Services is tweaking its vaccine policy for health care workers to temporarily allow for proof of negative COVID-19 tests in some communities.

Only sites considered at risk of service disruptions resulting from staffing shortages due to employees who are not vaccinated will be part of this testing program.

AHS President, Dr. Verna Yiu says this will begin on December 13th.

“I want to be clear that the testing option is temporary and will be limited in scope,” said Yiu on Monday. “As of Friday, about 260 employees will be eligible for this temporary testing option across approximately 16 work locations provincially.”

Alberta Health Services will provide a full list of the test sites by the December 13th as well as AHS’ immunization policy deadline will also be adjusted to that same date to accommodate the introduction of testing. The testing addition will be reviewed by March 2022.

Health Minister Jason copping says he’s heard from many Albertans, especially in smaller communities, who are worried the original AHS policy will impact patient care. He notes this directive “is about protecting patient care, primarily in rural areas, which will always be my top priority.”

As of right now, Over 96% of health care workers and 99% of doctors in Alberta are fully-vaccinated against COVID-19.

Patrick Siedlecki
Patrick Siedlecki
Pat has been a mainstay in the CJOC News department from the time the station launched in 2007. He's been in the position of News Director since then and has been anchoring daily news casts as well as reporting and working behind the scenes. Community is important to him and keeping CJOC listeners and readers informed about what's happening across southern Alberta and beyond. Pat has been in radio broadcasting for the past 24 years, starting in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island in 1997 and then moving up island to Nanaimo for another few years before heading to Lethbridge in 2007. Pat grew up in the small Saskatchewan farming town of Foam Lake. After high school, he went to Western Academy Broadcasting College (WABC) in Saskatoon prior to moving to the island. Pat also spent several years broadcasting hockey in the BCHL as well as seven years as the radio voice of the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL. Pat has been working at Cornerstone Funeral Home in Lethbridge as a Certified Life Celebrant and Funeral Assistant since 2016. News and sports have always been Pat's passion from the time he was a teenager and he's always been grateful to have had the opportunity to make that part of what's been a fun and long radio career!
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