Re: "Health staff told to get flu shot or wear mask," Aug. 24.
I find it interesting that I and most of my co-workers learned about this new policy of forcing vaccinations from the media rather than from our employer.
The policy released the same day includes some unusual things, such as workers reporting on their colleagues for not wearing a mask. Most laughable is the stickers one must wear to identify yourself as not having had a flu shot, a feeble attempt to ostracize people in the workplace.
The provincial government claims this is to protect the most vulnerable. Apparently the flu shot will make up for years of government cutbacks. What about safe patient/care ratios?
This policy does not reflect health promotion or any other recognized science, but rather an attempt to embarrass health-care providers during the upcoming labour dispute. This, incidentally, is slated to begin around the same time that the new policy will be initiated. I can already hear Premier Christy Clark claiming the political high ground.
Tim Grey
Victoria
