High vaccination rates make mandatory shots unnecessary, say some P.E.I. groups

COVID-19 vaccinations will not be mandatory at Atlantic Beef Products in Albany.

Russ Mallard, the president and CEO of the beef processing plant, says most of the staff are already vaccinated so he didn't feel it was necessary to make vaccinations mandatory.

More than 90 per cent of the staff have at least one dose, with more than 60 per cent having two doses of the vaccine. 

But Mallard said staff were offered a bit of an incentive to get vaccinated.  

"If you provide proof of vaccination and your last vaccination was at least 14 days ago, your second vaccination, then you have certain privileges in the plant," Mallard said.

"We provide a sticker for employee helmets and those employees are allowed to not wear a mask while at their workstation."

Not turning away workers

"And that's a very good thing for many people because you're working in a cold area. You have safety glasses on, the fogging up of the mask in warmer areas, just the heat of the summer.

"We have an awful lot of people bringing us their proof of vaccinations to allow them to not wear their masks while at their workstation."

Mallard said masks are still required when the employee is walking around the plant. 

He said labour shortages are a big issue and he'd worry that mandatory vaccinations may only compound that problem.

"We're not willing to turn away any kind of skilled labour right now," he said.

"In the event they don't have their vaccine yet, we'll help them get their vaccine if they're interested, and we're willing to live… with people's choices if they decide not to get their vaccine."       

Health PEI says vaccination rates 'very high'

Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked the clerk of the Privy Council to look into making vaccines mandatory for federal employees.

The local president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union that represents many federal government employees, said it is too soon to comment on the prime minister's request. 

Dan Aiken said they are waiting for more details. 

CBC News reached out to a number of businesses and organizations about whether they plan to make vaccinations mandatory for employees. 

The message was similar with most groups and organizations: because of P.E.I.'s high vaccination rates they didn't feel that mandatory vaccinations are necessary.

Health PEI said its vaccination rates among staff and physicians are "very high," with 95 per cent receiving a first dose and 84 per cent getting a second dose. 

This includes administrative staff who do not provide front-line care. 

'Most employees wanted to be vaccinated'

"Due to the high participation rate, we are not considering mandatory vaccination policies as an organization," Health PEI said in a statement.

Jerry Gavin, executive director of the P.E.I. Seafood Processors Association, said vaccinations are not mandatory for seafood processing workers. 

"However, most employees wanted to be vaccinated," he wrote in an email to CBC News.

"We do not have plans to make vaccination mandatory."

At Cavendish Farms, vaccines will also remain "not mandatory, but encouraged," according to an email by J.D. Irving spokesperson Anne McInerney. She said the company is monitoring the situation closely and will follow the advice of public health officials.

P.E.I. Seniors Homes chief executive Jason Lee said to make vaccines mandatory for staff would leave their care centres undermanned.

"We have a very high percentage of staff vaccinated, but to require 100 per cent compliance would leave us short staffed," he wrote in an e-mail. "I don't believe any health-care service in Canada can sustain its services if forced to prohibit unvaccinated staff from working."

Jennifer Nangreaves, executive director of the Early Childhood Development Association, said she has had members asking about mandatory vaccinations. She said they are following the guidance of the Chief Public Health Office, which currently does not recommend proof of vaccination from employees. 

"It is the educator's choice to be vaccinated or not," said Nangreaves. 

PEI Pass 'spurred on' additional vaccinations

Mallard said the introduction of the PEI Pass did prompt more of his staff to get vaccinated.

"Certain people realized it would be much easier for them to travel if they had their vaccinations, with regards to coming home from out-of-province travel," he said.

"So I think that actually spurred on additional pick up of vaccines for certain staff who may have been holding out before that."      

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