Time running out for N.S. public service workers to get fully vaccinated without missing work

Nova Scotia's health minister says needles need to be going into arms now if health-care workers or any other members of the public service who are not fully vaccinated want to avoid missing time from work.

The government has set a deadline of Nov. 30 for all public service workers to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19. Failure to meet that deadline will result in workers being placed on unpaid leave.

But Health Minister Michelle Thompson said Thursday that people need to take action much sooner in order to meet the deadline.

"They would need their first dose, they would have to wait the recommended period of time until their second dose and then would be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose," Thompson told reporters at Province House.

Depending on the brand of vaccine, a person will have to wait between 21 and 28 days before they are eligible for their second dose.

Using those timelines, someone without a first dose who is required to wait 28 days for their second dose will not meet the Nov. 30 deadline. Someone required to wait 21 daysmust have their first dose by Tuesday or they will not be able to meet the deadline.

Even if people aren't going to meet that date, the minister encouraged workers to continue getting vaccinated.

Minister doesn't expect deadline to change

Thompson said she does not have information yet about how many health-care workers might not be fully vaccinated by the end of November, but she expects to have a better sense of that sometime sometime next week.

She said that vaccination rates among health-care workers are higher than within the general public. Seventy-seven per cent of Nova Scotians are fully vaccinated.

Although some provinces with vaccine mandates, such as Quebec, have looked at pushing back their deadlines because of how many workers it would take out of the system, Thompson said she's not anticipating such a move in Nova Scotia.

Earlier this week Nova Scotia Health announced an outbreak of COVID-19 in Valley Regional Hospital. Thompson said situations such as that show why the government must be diligent with its vaccine mandate.

"We know that vaccines are safe and effective. We know that it's the best way for us as a community and a province to move forward."