British Columbia’s public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is officially over, following the province’s chief medical officer rescinding all remaining restrictions.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry declared any remaining restrictions first implemented in March 2020 to be over Friday, including the controversial vaccination requirements for healthcare workers.
“Today is indeed a very special day,” said Henry during a press conference in Victoria, B.C. on Friday. “We have reached the point in this journey that we’ve been on where I am confident that we can now lift the requirements of a public health emergency.”
“So effectively immediately, today July 26, we will be ending the public health emergency for COVID-19 and rescinding the few related orders that are still in place.”
Henry confirmed that includes B.C.’s public health mandate that healthcare workers be vaccinated to “work in our healthcare system.”
According to Henry, the decision was made after “careful review” of all data and epidemiological indicators, which revealed that the province no longer requires a public health emergency to deal with COVID-19.
“While COVID-19 is not gone, we now have high levels of protection in the health-care system and in communities throughout B.C,” said Henry. “Wastewater indicators and testing data show COVID-19 has levelled off and the number of people in intensive care and in hospitals is lower and stable. The level of protection provided by vaccines and hybrid immunity is also helping to protect us.”
There are currently fewer than 200 people in hospital throughout the province as a result of contracting COVID-19.
B.C. initially declared its public health emergency on March 17, 2020, marking the first Canadian province to do so.
The emergency mandated mask wearing, prohibited gatherings and public events, and shut down businesses.
Henry was joined by B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix, who announced that health workers fired under the previous orders can now apply to fill available positions.
However, applicants must still provide their immune status for certain pathogens, including COVID-19.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called for B.C. to reinstate “every single nurse” that was fired under the province’s “insane vaccine mandates” with back pay.
“B.C. is finally ending the insane vaccine mandates that shut out so many loyal nurses. How many people were denied care because these unscientific mandates pushed away needed nurses?” wrote Poilievre in a post to X. “Every single nurse should get their job again with back pay.”