Mandatory vaccination policy for SD91 staff remains unclear

NECHAKO- School District 91 still hasn’t decided if they will be implementing a mandatory vaccination policy for staff members. However, the decision could be made in January.

The school board will undergoing some steps outlined by the province prior to making a final decision. This five-step process includes the Board seeking advice from local and provincial authorities as requiring employee vaccinations may lead to legal or financial implications. This week, the district received additional information from the province, which will be examined over the next few weeks.

According to Board Chair Dave Christie, the board will ensure all information is considered before deciding because the outcome of this process could have many ramifications for employees, students and families.

“While the results on the employee survey show our staff has a higher vaccination rate than the local region, we are lower than many other parts of the province,” explained Christie. “We follow all public health guidance to help ensure our schools are safe and science shows vaccines are the most effective public health tool available to combat the pandemic. We encourage everyone eligible to get their vaccinations”.