In response to the letter "Loss of unvaccinated workers worsens B.C. health crisis", respectfully, I must say that I couldn't disagree more.
This tired narrative that Dr. Bonnie Henry was wrong to disallow unvaccinated nurses to work among highly vulnerable patients during the height of the pandemic is just plain wrong. It is just as wrong to assume that, now the pandemic has eased, these workers should be permitted to simply walk right back into their previous positions. These nurses made a decision to not comply with a reasonable condition of employment and standard of their profession; not doing so made them unqualified. If they wish to re-apply now that the condition to be vaccinated has been lifted (and I am sure for good, science-based, reasons), fair enough but they made their vaccination decisions independently, no one was forcing them to do so.
Health Minister Adrian Dix made the right decision by following the advice of his Chief Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Henry, a world renowned epidemiologist and physician. It is the sign of an excellent manager to listen to the experts in any decision rather than bow to political pressure from a few, misinformed individuals. Moreover, Dix has made outstanding strides in the past two years attracting over 6,000 new nurses (net) and over 830 new doctors (net) to B.C. These are better recruitment results than any other Province. He needn't lower B.C.'s professional standards for nurses and doctors by employing those, at the time, that refused to remain qualified during those critical days of the pandemic or give a special dispensation to re-hire them now.
Some people seem to have short memories.
Dan Rowe
Sidney
