New vaccination order for care staff in B.C.

The province is now requiring anyone who works in long term care or assisted living facilities to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 12.

It also applies immediately to volunteers and personal service workers who go into those facilities.

As an example, at the Brookhaven Care Centre in West Kelowna, five residents and 18 staff have the virus.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says people living in such settings are at particular risk to the virus and transmission from unvaccinated people has led to outbreaks.

She says those staff who are not currently fully vaccinated will be required to wear masks at work until they get a dose.

As of Thursday, 82.3 per cent of those eligible over the age of 12 in the province have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Of those, 72 per cent are fully immunized.