TERRY Lake, the CEO of BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) and EngAge BC, on Thursday welcomed the announcement by Health Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry regarding mandatory vaccinations for workers in assisted living and long-term care.

He said: “Ensuring that everyone who works with seniors living in B.C.’s long-term care and assisted living homes is vaccinated against COVID-19 is critical to the safety and wellbeing of both residents and staff. We know families with loved ones in care will also welcome this news.

“This order is particularly important as we face new variants of this pernicious virus which has affected seniors living in long-term care and assisted living so drastically.

“We continue to ask both those working in the sector, and the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible. If not for themselves, for their parents and grandparents.

“Front-line staff and leadership in B.C.’s long-term care homes have worked extremely hard to keep residents safe from COVID-19 while helping them to live as well as possible, despite these very difficult circumstances. The vast majority of workers have got vaccinated as soon as they were able to do so. This order is one additional action which can be taken to strengthen our defence against the virus.”