Nova Scotia Health to lift COVID-19 immunization requirement for employees

Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health are ending the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees starting Feb. 26, 2024.

Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health are set to lift a requirement for employees, preferred candidates and on-site medical staff to submit proof of primary series COVID-19 immunization beginning Feb. 26, 2024.

In an email to CBC News on Wednesday night, a spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health said the decision was made “in response to evolving evidence regarding COVID-19, Omicron sub-variants, protection from vaccine and a review of vaccination policies across other jurisdictions.”

NSH confirmed the change in policy after a letter to an employee was posted on social media earlier in the day. The letter advises the employee, on unpaid leave for not meeting the COVID-19 immunization reqirements, they could return to work as of Monday.

The letter goes on to direct the employee to notify their manager of their intent to return or resign by March 15.

The province had introduced mandatory vaccinations against COVID-19 for the health sector in November 2021. At the time, any health-care workers who hadn’t received at least one COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 30 risked employment consequences like being placed on unpaid leave.

Prior to the vaccinations being mandatory, both Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health had reported the majority of their employees had been immunized against COVID-19, either fully or partially.