Law for health workers’ shots heads to House
The framework regarding the mandatory vaccination for health and care workers is expected, as recently announced, to be submitted to Parliament within the week.
It will take effect as of August 16 for workers at nursing homes and from September 1 for healthcare staff.
The first step is to make an amendment to the Civil Service Code, so that staff can be put on unpaid leave without themselves signing off for it, as is the case today. Without this modification no one will be able to be suspended from work. The unpaid leave will last, according to the government, “as long as the pandemic last.”
One of the key challenges is to fill in the gaps left behind when staff goes on unpaid leave given the imbalance between doctors and nurses in terms of vaccinations. More than 90% of doctors compared to just 73% of nurses have so far been vaccinated.
