Covid-19 Vaccine – Questions & Answers

How nurses can get the vaccine themselves if they do not have a home hospital and only work with agencies?

There is not yet a process for nurses to get the vaccine if they are not affiliated with a Health Authority. Currently, First Nations Communities are receiving vaccines and have completed their first dose roll out in most communities. Health Authorities in BC are moving through lists, Critical Care and Long Term Care areas are on the list as the first stage, and community is on the list as stage 2. If you are working on an assignment in a BC Health Authority please ask to be included in the rollout.  It has been our experience that our nurses are being offered the vaccine if they are working in an area that is receiving the vaccine. When accepting the vaccine, please explore what is possible to get your second dose if your assignment ends before the scheduled second dose roll out. I would like to encourage you to make this request if you have a desire to receive the vaccine. There is some evidence that receiving the first dose provides some immunity before the second dose is received. The duration between the first and second dose has been extended, and as this flows, I believe that more solutions for obtaining the second dose will be presented. This issue is very dynamic and will continue to evolve. As an agency nurse, you will be offered the vaccine through the Public Health Agency of Canada in your geographical area as the vaccine moves through its rollout.

Please also check in with your area public health office to see what is possible for you, specifically, in your geographical area.

I will be on assignment (BC) at the time my second round of vaccine is due and has been suggested by my provincial health authority (ON) to get both the rounds in BC. Will I be able to get the vaccine in BC? Whom do I contact?

For employees who have specific questions about their assignment, I encourage you to open the discussion at your specific assignment.  If you need assistance in maneuvering this, or you would like assistance in making the request, please send your query to Sandra.shannon@solutionsstaffing.ca.  Please ensure that your email is very specific and outlines the start date, end date, and location of your assignment as I am getting an increased volume of questions surrounding this question, and would like to try to get to as many questions as possible.

What if I do not want to get the vaccine?

Many healthcare professionals across the country have the intention to NOT receive the vaccine. At this time, there is no direction on this. It is my belief that certain facilities will request that agency staff have proof of vaccination before their assignment, as we do with influenza, and may state that this is a requirement of assignments and may offer specific requirements. There is currently a plan for all Canadians to register their vaccine, this is not in place yet. We have not received a statement on this and do not anticipate receiving one until the rolls outs are further along in their process.

Will we need to provide proof of vaccination? 

If you have received the vaccine, we would like to add it to your profile and ask that you send proof of your vaccine to HR@solutionsstaffing.ca. This will provide information in anticipation that we will need to be reporting accurate data on vaccine participants.  You should receive a card at the time of the vaccine, please send this to our HR department.

What is Solution’s plan to vaccinate the travelers? Or what are our policies in place to accommodate for the Covid vaccine for our external staff?

The vaccine is currently not available to the public, we are the public. So, we will need to wait until the rollout reaches us. This will likely be after Health Authorities. We need to be patient. Currently, the focus and energy are to work through the lists that are underway, in the rollout. I have queries out to government officials to ask this question. I do not anticipate a clear solution until the current rollout is well underway. We are in the beginning stages of the rollout at this time.

Is it mandatory to get the shot?

At this time, the covid vaccine is not mandatory.  How this evolves is not predictable at this time. I believe that this will evolve over the next few months once the Public Health Agency of Canada has had time to review these questions and may differ in different areas, unfortunately, this question requires a wait and see.

What if I have a reaction to the injection while on assignment?

Nurses who have a reaction to the vaccine will need to receive immediate first aid and then any actions further to this will need to be managed on specific symptoms.  Nurses who are unable to work will need to use our regular cancellation and sick time procedures as outlined in your facility information package. As always, if you are calling in sick, please also call our after-hours line so that we may support you in this process. This will not interfere with your ability to return to work when your symptoms subside.

Will we need to isolate after having the vaccine?

No, there is no requirement to isolate following the vaccine. The vaccine is not a live virus and patients are not considered to “have covid” or to be “exposed to covid” when they receive the vaccine. Nurses are required to continue diligence on PPE and infection control measures as outlined in the policies and procedures of the facility you are working in and the Health Canada recommendations following receiving the vaccine. With regards to isolation for travel or illnesses, we will continue to follow the recommendation of the Covid-19 hotline and facilities. 

The nurses at the facility are getting the Covid 19 vaccine, but I am not. Who do I contact? 

Please request the vaccine, if you are there long enough to get both doses OR problem solve how you will be able to get the 2^nd dose. These will need to be managed as one-offs, right now. If you need assistance in maneuvering this, please send your query to Sandra.shannon@solutionsstaffing.ca. Please ensure that your email is very specific and outlines the start date, end date, and location of your assignment as I am getting an increased volume of questions surrounding the vaccine and would like to address as many inquiries as possible.

I am going to a remote community and would like to get a vaccine before traveling. 

There is not a process for nurses to get the vaccine before their assignment.  You will be able to request this, while on assignment, vaccines rolled out to remote communities are only available in that remote community.

The facility that I am going to has been rolling out vaccines. Will I get the vaccine when I start my assignment? 

The vaccine will be available to nurses when it is rolled out in communities where it is available.  The vaccine comes in multi-dose vials and in order to sustain supply, there must be 10 people available to receive the vaccine. It is my belief that this will evolve differently in different communities.