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By Chris Brown

97 per cent of staff fully vaccinated

Catholic Board of Education’s COVID-19 safety policy now in effect

Dec 13, 2021 | 4:48 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Any adults who enter a Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education facility must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or provide proof of a negative COVID test within the past 72 hours.

The board of trustees passed the policy at its Oct. 12 meeting, deciding it would come into effect on Dec. 13.

“The idea with the administrative procedure isn’t to mandate vaccines, it’s to minimize the amount of COVID that enters into our buildings,” said Supt. Dwayne Zarichny.

“And so when you look at it through that perspective I think people understand you know, the requests that came from the ministers of health and education in trying to do that and either having folks that are vaccinated or testing on a regular basis does help prevent COVID from entering the buildings and so for the most part response has been relatively positive.”

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He said says 97 per cent of division staff is fully vaccinated and 18 people are choosing the testing option. He added the board has obtained tests that are being provided to staff free of charge.

READ MORE: All teachers in compliance with Medicine Hat Public School Division’s COVID-19 Harm Reduction Policy

Zarichny says that the overall feedback from staff about the policy has been positive.

He said some staff are still deciding whether or not they will participate in the program.

“If a staff member decides that they don’t want to provide either proof of vaccination or participate in the testing program or provide a test, then they would have to request time off without pay,” he explained.

The policy only applies to adults as the MHCBE does not have the authority to mandate vaccinations for students.