Ontario science table advises Ford vaccine mandates for hospital workers are safe, effective

Ontario’s COVID-19 science advisory table has informed the premier that making vaccinations mandatory for all healthcare workers can enhance safety, reduce the risk of staffing disruptions, and protect people working to treat others.

In a letter published to Doug Ford, the science group says requiring hospital workers to be vaccinated is an evidence-based policy that protects Ontarians.

“First, we want to emphasize the importance of protecting vulnerable patients from SARS-CoV-2 infections in hospital settings. Second, we want to ensure hospitals can continue to function with minimal disruptions due to staffing shortages associated with the impact of COVID-19,” the board wrote on Tuesday.

“Finally, and importantly, we want to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of all those working in our hospitals. Hospital workers have been the backbone of the province’s response to COVID-19 and have been there for Ontarians during this public health crisis. Requiring that healthcare workers be vaccinated against certain communicable diseases is evidence-based and protects the public. We trust the following helps you make an evidence-based decision regarding vaccine mandates in hospitals.”

The premier has expressed concerns about the mandatory vaccination policies within the health care sector, saying last week it could lead to staff shortages. But the science table says hospital workers who remain unvaccinated are at greater risk of being unable to work due to COVID-19.

“COVID-19 can spread to workers and vulnerable patients in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Data from Public Health Ontario demonstrate that a substantial number of COVID-19 cases originate inside hospitals,” the science table writes.

“Infection prevention and control efforts by hospitals to reduce the spread of COVID-19 will likely help diminish the risk of transmission, but they are not perfect and require constant vigilance. Vaccines, in contrast, provide consistent and ongoing protection to both healthcare workers and patients.”

The board says there is already significant fatigue and burnout among hospital staff if their unvaccinated colleagues cannot work because they contracted the virus. Recent research by the board focused on hospital workers but the group said similar problems exist in other areas of health such as long-term care and public health.

It also emphasizes that vaccine mandates for healthcare workers are not new. Currently, there are mandates for flu shots in hospitals and long-term care homes that have been in effect across Canada and the U.S. for more than two decades.

“COVID-19 vaccines help to protect the people working in Ontario’s hospitals, as well as the unvaccinated and vulnerable patients more at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 complications,” the science table says.

“Requiring that hospital workers be vaccinated is an evidence-based policy that protects Ontarians.”

Many hospitals across the province have enacted their mandates, going beyond the current provincial policy of vaccinating hospital staff or requiring frequent testing.

Several other hospitals have fired some staff who didn’t get vaccinated by their deadline or have placed them on unpaid leave, though they say the numbers are such that it isn’t affecting operations or patient care.

At a news conference on Friday, Ford said that approximately 15 per cent of the health system workforce is unvaccinated.

With files from The Canadian Press