Why COVID-19 vaccination exemptions are rare on P.E.I.

Some Islanders hoping to skirt COVID-19 vaccination requirements on P.E.I. through a medical or religious exemption are winding up disappointed.

The P.E.I. Human Rights Commission says it's had several calls from people wondering if they have grounds for an exemption, orto file a human rights complaint if they're not granted one.

That's since the province brought in its Vax Pass program in early October, and UPEI and Holland College made vaccinations mandatory for staff and students.

"But we haven't had any where we've said'Yeah, you should come in and file a complaint.That would pass the test,'" said Brenda Picard, the commission's executive director. "It's important for people to know it's not just about their personal conviction."

P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Office does consider exemption requestsfrom Islanderswho claim they can't get vaccinated against COVID-19 for medical reasons, and want to enter non-essential businesses and events without a Vax Pass.

UPEIand Holland College review both medical and religious exemption requests.With an exemption, students and staff who aren't fully vaccinated can stay on campus, as long as they go through weekly testing.

'Extremely rare'

Butbased on statistics provided to CBC, the number of exemptions actually granted has been low.

Since the provincelaunched its Vax Pass program in early October, the Chief Public Health Office has received 48 medical exemption request forms from physicians or nurse practitionerson behalf of their patients.

Of those, 43 exemptionshave been approved.

It's a relatively small numberbecause, as the province states on its website, "medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination may be granted for extremely rare circumstances."

"That may be someone who had an adverse event after the first dose, or if they have anaphylaxis to a component of the vaccine," said Dr. Heather Morrison, the province's chief public health officer.

Most student requests denied

UPEI didn't provide statistics on how many requests it's received and approved.

But according to a spokesperson at Holland College, "the Registrar's Office received 24 student requests for exemptions out of 2,400 students. Very few student exemptions were approved."

The college wouldn't reveal how many staff applied for exemptions, or break down how many of the requests were for medical or religious exemptions,citing privacy concerns.

And while the spokesperson said the registrarreviewed medical exemption requests"with support from thecollege's nurse practitioner and with advice from the Chief Public Health Office," it's not clear how the collegedetermined the validity of religious requests.

Are there valid religious grounds?

According to Picard, organizations are only required to provide a religious exemptionif the applicant "can establish that religion does in fact have a spiritual belief that says they cannot get the vaccine, and that they're a member of that religion."

The challenge in this case,said Picard, is establishing the first part.

"The majority of major religious leaders have indicated there's no religious reason why people cannot take a vaccine," she said.

The City of Charlottetown is also in the process of considering medical and religious exemption requests from city staff and volunteers. That's ahead of its mandatory vaccination policy coming into effect on Nov.30.

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