“If all of this was about HEALTH, I’d still be working”: Lived Experiences of Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates of Healthcare Workers in British Columbia, Canada
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Background
COVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC) were implemented in October 2021. Despite opposition from some HCW unions and protests across the province, mandates remained effective until July 2024. This study examined the lived experience of HCWs in BC of COVID vaccine mandates, focusing on HCWs’ decision-making process, the mandates’ impact on their lives and livelihoods, and their views on the effects of mandates on patient care.
Methods
We performed a reflexive thematic analysis of responses to one open ended question and open-ended entries to closed questions from within a published survey of a convenience sample of HCWs in BC of diverse vaccination status, professions, ages, socioeconomic status, races/ethnicities, and genders. Respondents were recruited through snowball sampling via social media and professional networks of the research team. The study was approved by the York University Office of Research Ethics (No. 2023-389). The article is presented in accordance with the COREQ reporting checklist.
Results
Textual data from 90 HCWs were collected from within the initial 166 respondents to the survey. Most respondents were unvaccinated, had been terminated for non-compliance with vaccination mandates, experienced personal losses, and reported negative views on mandates and their impacts on patient care. We identified six themes: 1) policies conflicting with scientific evidence and professional practice; 2) conflicts with medical ethics; 3) unacknowledged or dismissed personal hardships; 4) unacknowledged or dismissed physical harms; 5) discrimination against unvaccinated HCWs and patients; and 6) negative impacts on patient care.
Conclusions
This study uncovered a concerning pattern within British Columbia’s healthcare system, with mandatory vaccination leading to substantial social and economic harms for HCWs of all vaccination statuses as well as unvaccinated patients. Mandates appear to have exacerbated labour shortages in the healthcare sector, negatively impacted workplace morale and the quality of patient care, and eroded informed consent. In light of these findings and of available scientific evidence then and now, we conclude that the policy of mandatory vaccination for HCWs has no scientific basis and violates fundamental ethical principles in healthcare practice and policy.
