COVID-19 public health emergency declared over in British Columbia

British Columbia’s top doctor says she is ending the public health emergency declared in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says after four years of mask mandates, restrictions on gatherings, vaccinations and hospitalizations, all remaining restrictions, including the vaccination requirement for health care workers, are being lifted.

Henry says that after looking at all the data, she is confident the province has reached the point where there is no longer a need for a public health emergency.

“I remain deeply grateful to the people of British Columbia for rising to the challenge and doing their utmost to support each other with kindness and compassion during these difficult times,” Henry said.

But even though the mandate has been lifted, the province is requiring health care workers, doctors, nurses, volunteers and contractors in public health care facilities to disclose their vaccination status, including COVID-19, flu and measles vaccines.

Health Minister Aidran Dix said the information collected from the data will allow health authorities to make staffing decisions in the event of future outbreaks or exposures.

“Health care workers are very supportive of vaccination. The vast majority have gotten vaccinated to protect themselves and the people they care for,” Dix said.

Omikron still dominates

Henry said wastewater indicators and testing data show COVID-19 has stabilized and the number of people in intensive care and hospitals is lower and stable.

She said there are currently 164 people in hospital in British Columbia with the disease, 11 of whom are in intensive care. Omikron is still the predominant strain.

A state of emergency was declared on March 17, 2020, and British Columbia became the first province to record a COVID-19 death in the country. Mask mandates followed the emergency, gatherings and public events were cancelled, businesses were closed, and those who could began working from home.

By declaring a state of emergency, the province could take any provincial emergency measures necessary to respond to an emergency or limit its impact.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said at the time that included securing critical supply chains to ensure BC residents continued access to essential goods and services, and ensuring all infrastructure needed for the government’s response to COVID-19 was readily available.

The British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that the province’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate for health care workers was justified, based on the significant risk posed by the virus.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry first imposed the orders on all health care workers in British Columbia in October 2021. The orders were extended in 2022 and 2023.

According to the ruling, about 1,800 workers lost their jobs for not getting vaccinated, in violation of the mandate.

On Friday, Health Minister Adrian Dix said health care workers laid off under previous orders can apply for vacancies but must declare their “immune status” to certain pathogens, including COVID-19.

Sonia Furstenau, leader of the British Columbia Green Party, said the government has not provided any scientific justification for the disclosure requirement.

In a statement, she said the province has failed to address the “root cause of the crisis in our health care system.”

“The BC Greens remain committed to public health innovation and empowering British Columbians to make evidence- and science-based decisions about their own health and well-being,” said Furstenau.

Federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre also responded to British Columbia’s announcement in a post on social media platform X.

“How many people were denied care because these unscientific mandates drove away needed nurses? Every nurse should be allowed to return to work with back pay,” Polievre wrote.

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon accused the NDP government of revoking the mandate because it is politically unpopular and the election is three months away.

“I think frankly their position of Bonnie Henry and Adrian Dix and the Prime Minister was absolutely indefensible and that’s what’s so frustrating about it. So yeah, they’re all in it for the politics.”

The BC Nurses’ Union said in a statement that it will closely monitor the development of the province-wide vaccination registry for health care workers to ensure the rights of its members are protected.

“These nurses are a welcome addition that will help alleviate the severe staffing shortages that are currently causing delays in patient care,” the statement said.