Ontario Making COVID-19 Vaccinations Mandatory For Long-Term Care Home Staff

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Ontario is making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all in-home staff, support workers, students, and volunteers at long-term care homes by November 15th, 2021, unless a staff member has a valid medical exemption, as well as expanded inspections of homes and redirecting provincial resources to enhance and audit existing testing in homes.

“We know that long-term care residents have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. As new variants continue to spread, we are seeing a growing number of outbreaks in long-term care homes where the risk to those most vulnerable remains high,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of Long-Term Care. “This enhanced suite of measures, including mandatory vaccinations for those working in the homes of long-term care residents, is one more way we will provide them the greatest level of protection possible.”

According to Government officials, vaccination rates of staff in many homes are not high enough in the face of the risk posed by the Delta variant, and this is putting vulnerable residents at risk. To ensure the health and safety of staff and residents, mandating vaccination for in-home staff has now become essential, and homes are now required to meet the following requirements:

Staff who do not have all required doses or a valid medical exemption by the deadline will not be able to enter a long-term care home to work. Newly hired staff will be required to be fully vaccinated before they begin working in a home unless they have a valid medical exemption.

Homes will begin randomly testing fully vaccinated individuals, including staff, caregivers and visitors, to help detect possible breakthrough cases of COVID-19 as early as possible.