Lake Country woman voices concerns over unvaccinated care workers in private homes
A Lake Nation girl who has spent practically 40 years in a wheelchair is voicing concern about unvaccinated care staff being despatched into her personal dwelling.
Adrienne Colby is a quadriplegic and has care staff visiting her dwelling thrice a day to assist.
Nonetheless, she stated a few of them aren’t vaccinated in any respect.
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“After I stated that I had a problem with that, they stated, ‘Nicely, in case you don’t take unvaccinated folks, you stand to be going with out care,’” Colby stated.
Colby is a employee’s compensation shopper.
She stated WorkSafeBC contracts out her care to Bayshore HealthCare.
“They stated we didn’t must ship employee’s compensation purchasers vaccinated staff,” Colby stated.
Given the latest authorities mandate that every one health-care staff, even these in personal properties, should be absolutely vaccinated by Oct. 26, Colby is anxious this can create an inflow of unvaccinated staff selecting up jobs with personal contractors.
“That is solely the tip of the iceberg as a result of with all of those health-care staff getting suspended, once they discover out personal businesses will rent unvaccinated folks, guess the place they’re going for alternative jobs,” Colby stated.
“And guess the place these unvaccinated dwelling care staff are going to be despatched: to all the purchasers that aren’t Inside Well being,” she stated. “And so they’re not telling us.”
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After International Information reached out to Bayshore HomeCare, Colby stated she received a telephone name from the enterprise saying it will not ship her any unvaccinated staff.
Bayshore claimed it follows all provincial well being and security directives.
“In very restricted conditions the place highly-specialized coaching is required and we can’t match a affected person with a professional employees member resulting from well being care staffing shortages throughout Canada, intensive discussions happen with sufferers and caregivers in regards to the choices to proceed receiving uninterrupted care,” spokesperson Patrick Callan stated in an announcement.
Colby stated she’s sharing her story so others are conscious of the potential dangers.
“There are such a lot of folks in dwelling care, and they don’t seem to be conscious that they might be getting despatched unvaccinated folks,” Colby stated.
“Employees’ compensation is our province’s enforcer of any of the well being orders,” she stated. “Why are they not mandating vaccination orders?”
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WorkSafeBC stated it encourages injured staff to speak to their health-care supplier and request a fully-vaccinated particular person.
“We’ve a plan to tell staff that they’ve the correct to refuse service from an unvaccinated service supplier, and WorkSafeBC will work with them to search out another supplier,” media relations supervisor Alexandra Skinner stated in an electronic mail.
It additionally stated its employees should be absolutely vaccinated by Nov. 1.
The well being ministry didn’t reply to International Information’ request for remark by deadline.
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