Canada - Parliament imposes mandatory vaccination rule on most MPs

[nayr69sg]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/parliament-vaccine-mandate-1.6217352

Parliament imposes mandatory vaccination rule on most MPs​

Mandate will apply to anyone who enters the Commons precinct, with exceptions for medical reasons​

CBC News · Posted: Oct 19, 2021 7:14 PM ET | Last Updated: October 19

The vast majority of returning MPs are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19, though the status of some Conservative MPs has not been made public. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Most members of Parliament — and anyone else entering the House of Commons — will have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 when Parliament returns on Nov. 22.
The Board of Internal Economy, Parliament's governing body responsible for administrative rules, announced the requirement today.
"This requirement will apply to any person who wishes to enter the House of Commons Precinct, including members and their staff, political research office employees, administration employees, members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, parliamentary business visitors, contractors and consultants," says a statement from the board.
The statement goes on to say that those with a valid medical reason for avoiding vaccination "will have the option of providing proof of a recent negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test result."
Liberal MP Anthony Rota is chair of the Board of Internal Economy. The board is made up of nine MPs representing each party elected to Parliament, except the Greens.
Parliament will consider an individual fully vaccinated 14 days after their second dose of a vaccine approved by Health Canada.
The mandatory vaccination policy is in addition to the preventative measures already in place in Parliament, including mandatory masking and the closure of the grounds to the public.

Both the Liberals and NDP required that their candidates be vaccinated during the election campaign, though they did not extend that requirement to staff members. The Bloc Québécois said during the campaign that all of its candidates were vaccinated.
The Conservatives have not released similar vaccination statistics, but the party told CBC News in September that Conservative MPs will follow all public health directives.
Parliament is set to resume on Nov. 22, slightly more than two months after election day.
The office of Pablo Rodriguez, the government house leader, indicated that Parliament may resume under the hybrid model that was used for much of the pandemic, which allows some MPs to attend virtually.
"We believe the hybrid House of Commons worked well earlier this year. We are supportive of continuing to have hybrid sittings of the House and continuing to make use of technology to ensure that Parliament continues to work well for all Canadians," said Rodriguez's spokesperson Simon Ross.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet called for the end of the hybrid system shortly after the election, saying that any unvaccinated MPs should stay home.

 

[nayr69sg]

Are there any Singapore MPs and NMPs that are not covid vaxxed?

 

[JHolmesJr]

In the US, Biden's vaccine mandate excludes employees of Pfizer, members of congress
while forcing it on everyone else.

I will be stunned if all MPs here are vaxxed....I still dont believe the top guy took his.
2 time cancer survivor with a compromised immune system and a history of chemotherapy
took 3 mrna jabs and still alive...you got to be shitting me!

 

[nayr69sg]

In the US, Biden's vaccine mandate excludes employees of Pfizer, members of congress
while forcing it on everyone else.

I will be stunned if all MPs here are vaxxed....I still dont believe the top guy took his.
2 time cancer survivor with a compromised immune system and a history of chemotherapy
took 3 mrna jabs and still alive...you got to be shitting me!

I dunno man. It would be a complete scandal if what you say about top guy is true.

In Canada we have the PPP wih Maxime Bernier as the leader. He openly is an anti vaxxer.

In Alberta there is also a big anti vaccine movement. No one is forced to vaccinate. But as with politics the politicans have to play the game and try to please as many as possible in order to win elections.

 

[JHolmesJr]

It would be a complete scandal if what you say about top guy is true.

But if someone like him came to you as a patient and said...doc Ive had leukaemia and chemo
twice....recently I suffered a stroke like episode on live TV while giving a speech....should I
take the Pfizer jab, what would you advise?

 

[nayr69sg]

But if someone like him came to you as a patient and said...doc Ive had leukaemia and chemo
twice....recently I suffered a stroke like episode on live TV while giving a speech....should I
take the Pfizer jab, what would you advise?

https://cpsa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Guidance-for-Physicians-COVID19-Vaccine-Exemption.pdf

Guidance for physicians: Requests for COVID-19 vaccination exemptions 1 OVERVIEW COVID-19 transmission remains a concern in our communities, and CPSA strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccination to anyone who is eligible. While COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory in Alberta, an increasing number of schools, businesses and jurisdictions are now requiring students, staff and visitors to be fully vaccinated. This is driving an increased number of Albertans to clinics to request medical exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination. CLINICAL DECISION-MAKING CPSA continues to review the latest information on contraindications and precautions for COVID-19 vaccination. We advise physicians to inform their decision-making based on the recommendations from the Alberta Health Services COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group and to familiarize themselves with the latest resources (see page 3) set out by Alberta Health, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Physicians have access to readily available information about specific conditions for certain patients for whom a first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine should be recommended. It is clear the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for nearly every individual aged 12 or older. There are no medical conditions that would universally warrant a complete exemption from initial COVID-19 vaccine. A patient’s or physician’s individual moral objection to vaccination is not considered sufficient clinical rationale for exemption of vaccination against COVID-19. COVID-19 VACCINATION DURING PREGNANCY COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for pregnant individuals and their babies, with mRNA vaccines being the safest type of COVID-19 vaccine to get during pregnancy. Patients may get the vaccine at any time, during any trimester, of pregnancy. A viral vector vaccine may be offered to pregnant individuals when other COVID-19 vaccines are contraindicated or inaccessible. AHS is reporting that the fourth wave of COVID-19 and the Delta variant could have significant adverse effects on unvaccinated pregnant patients:  In August 2021, six pregnant Albertans were admitted to ICU due to COVID-19. All of them were unimmunized. Only seven pregnant Albertans were admitted to ICU for COVID-19 during the entire first year of the pandemic from March 2020 to March 2021.  In the six cases that AHS saw in August 2021, COVID-19 had severe impacts on the parents’ health and also the child’s. Five preterm births occurred as early as 29 weeks.  Pregnant patients are at a higher risk of severe disease and complications, such as ICU admission requiring ventilation and preterm birth. The threshold for admission is lower and they can get sick faster.  Pregnant women with co-morbidities such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are potentially at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease. Updated: Sept. 27, 2021 Published: Sept. 15, 2021 Guidance for physicians: requests for COVID-19 vaccination exemptions Guidance for physicians: Requests for COVID-19 vaccination exemptions 2 MANAGING CHALLENGING INTERACTIONS CPSA supports physicians who, after an assessment, decline to issue exemptions when the patient making the request does not have a warranting medical condition. Physicians are expected to entertain exemption requests from their patients and cannot adopt blanket refusal policies toward patients who request vaccination exemptions. Interactions with patients on this topic may become emotional and difficult. If a patient becomes abusive toward a physician, staff member or other patients because a vaccination exemption request is denied, that patient may be asked to leave the premises. Physicians are not expected to tolerate this type of behaviour and have the right to immediately discharge patients who act in this manner from their practice under the Terminating the Physician-Patient Relationship standard of practice. To avoid potential conflict with upset patients, CPSA is supportive of clinic staff screening patients before their arrival to determine if the nature of the visit is related to an exemption request. In some instances, these types of assessments may be conducted virtually to avoid an in-person confrontation. For assessments that must be conducted in-person, physicians may want to employ a buddy system to avoid being alone in a room, or advise the patient that they will be contacted at a later date, by phone, with a decision. EXPECTATIONS FOR EXEMPTIONS A physician’s informed clinical judgement that an exemption from COVID-19 vaccination is appropriate for a patient is expected to be exceedingly rare and must be thoroughly documented in the patient’s chart. Physicians are expected to reassess COVID-19 vaccine exemptions periodically to account for updates to vaccination evidence and the potential emergence of newly-approved vaccines. Issuing “blanket” or “lifetime” exemptions would be considered unprofessional. In the rare event a physician provides a patient with an exemption from COVID-19 vaccination, the physician should use the vaccine exemption form (available in the physician portal) to clearly state in writing:  The patient’s name and contact information;  The physician’s name, registration ID and contact information;  Confirmation that a medical reason exists warranting an exemption to be given; and  A date by which the exemption expires and/or a date for reassessment. PATIENTS PARTICIPATING IN COVID-19 VACCINE OR TREATMENT TRIALS Patients who are participating in a Health Canada authorized COVID-19-related clinical trial may request exemption from COVID-19 vaccination. In order to successfully contemplate these requests, physicians should expect the patient to provide:  proof that the trial appears on Health Canada’s authorized list of COVID-19 vaccine and treatment trials;  proof that the patient is registered as a participant in the authorized trial; Updated: Sept. 27, 2021 Published: Sept. 15, 2021 Guidance for physicians: requests for COVID-19 vaccination exemptions Guidance for physicians: Requests for COVID-19 vaccination exemptions 3  a statement from a medical representative of the holder of the trial authorization describing why participation in the clinical trial requires the patient not to be partially or fully vaccinated against COVID-19; and  a date by which the patient’s participation in the clinical trial is expected to conclude. Exemptions that are granted on these grounds should be time-limited and the vaccination exemption letter should clearly indicate a date of expiry. VACCINATION STATUS AND PATIENT CARE Physicians and medical clinic staff may ask about a patient’s vaccination status as part of their point-of-care risk assessment. However, patients who are not fully vaccinated cannot be denied care. Clinics are obligated to follow strict Infection Prevention and Control Standards. These measures are designed to offer protection from transmission in the absence of staff or patient vaccination. Clinics may undertake COVID-19 prevention strategies, which may include the use of barriers, requiring mask use by staff and patients, arranging for virtual care, postponing non-urgent visits and scheduling appointments. EVIDENCE-BASED ADVICE The professional advice patients receive from their physicians is very likely to inform discussions with their schools, workplaces and businesses they visit. Knowing this, it is critical for advice from physicians on COVID-19 vaccination to be rooted in the latest evidence. All Albertans, including the rare few who would qualify for an exemption from COVID-19 vaccination, must also receive accurate and founded advice on how to mitigate risk in their communities. An exemption from COVID-19 vaccination should not be misinterpreted as a “free pass,” and the patient should be made aware of their elevated risk of acquiring, transmitting and experiencing severe outcomes from COVID-19. CPSA continues to encourage all physicians to advocate in favour of public health precautions, such as indoor masking, physical distancing, monitoring for symptoms and heightened hygiene practices. RESOURCES 1. CPSA Patient FAQ: Exemption Requests for Vaccination 2. CPSA FAQ: Mask Use Exemption Letters 3. CPSA Patient FAQ: Exemption Requests for Mandatory Masking 4. Alberta Health Services COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group Rapid Brief. Medical Exemptions for COVID-19 Vaccine: Jurisdictional Scan. September 7, 2021. 5. National Advisory Council on Immunization: Statements and Publications. Updated: Sept. 27, 2021 Published: Sept. 15, 2021 Guidance for physicians: requests for COVID-19 vaccination exemptions Guidance for physicians: Requests for COVID-19 vaccination exemptions 4 6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Specific Groups. 7. Alberta Health. COVID-19 Vaccine Questions and answers for the public and healthcare practitioners. July 13, 2021. 8. University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy. Focused Communication. COVID-19 Vaccine Medical Exemptions. September 26, 2021.

 

[nayr69sg]

https://www.albertahealthservices.c...ons-to-mandatory-vaccination-rapid-review.pdf

Individuals for whom the first dose should be formally deferred for further exemption assessment, or for a resolution of a potentially complicating condition: Severe allergic reaction/anaphylaxis following receiving/ingestion of any component of COVID-19 vaccine (refer for Allergy Assessment Pathway) • Defer until assessment completed by an allergist/immunologist; assessment may or may not result in exemption • COVID-19 vaccination using a different type of vaccine may be considered for re-immunization • If immunization with a different platform is offered, individuals should be observed for at least 30 minutes after immunization Current confirmed diagnosis of myocarditis or pericarditis from any cause • mRNA COVID-19 vaccination should be deferred until myocarditis or pericarditis resolve • Specialist referral should be considered Persons who received antiviral monoclonal antibody therapy or convalescent plasma for COVID-19 treatment • These people may not mount a vaccine response • Interim suggestion: deferral of vaccination for 3 months is suggested (based on antibody half-life). • Expert clinical opinion should be sought on a case-by-case basis Individuals with current COVID19 infection • Defer vaccination until person has recovered from the acute illness and more than 10 days have elapsed since symptom onset. (Some guidance suggests vaccination 3 months after acute illness.) Individuals for whom vaccination is recommended after appropriate counselling and informed consent (based on multijurisdictional risk – benefit assessment) Pregnant, breastfeeding, or those of childbearing years • mRNA COVID19 vaccine is recommended for individuals in the authorized age group who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant (see appendix for additional information on vaccines and pregnancy, lactation and fertility). Previous severe allergic reaction to any injectable therapy unrelated to a component of COVID-19 vaccines (e.g., intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous vaccines or therapies) • People with prior reactions to other therapies or vaccines may be routinely vaccinated and do not need referral • An extended period of observation post-vaccination of 30 minutes should be provided History of other allergies (allergy not related to a component of authorized COVID-19 vaccines) • Can receive COVID-19 vaccines without any special precautions Specific to AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation Previous diagnosis of capillary leak syndrome • Rare reports of patients with CLS developing symptoms after AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine. • mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should be offered

 

[nayr69sg]

But if someone like him came to you as a patient and said...doc Ive had leukaemia and chemo
twice....recently I suffered a stroke like episode on live TV while giving a speech....should I
take the Pfizer jab, what would you advise?

Based on the guidelines, there is no reason for me to recommend against having the vaccine nor will he qualify for a vaccine exemption on medical reasons.

 

[nayr69sg]

https://cpsa.ca/news/cpsa-guidance-on-covid-19-vaccination-exemption-requests/

Dear colleague,

As we navigate the fourth wave of COVID-19, I want to reiterate that CPSA strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccination to anyone who is eligible. While COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory in Alberta, an increasing number of schools, businesses and jurisdictions are now requiring students, staff and visitors to be fully vaccinated. I recognize this has led to an increased number of patients requesting medical exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination.

To help your decision-making, CPSA has developed Guidance for physicians: requests for COVID-19 vaccination exemptions.

All clinical decisions on this matter should be made in accordance with recommendations set out by the AHS COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group. I think it’s important to highlight there are almost no medical conditions that would universally warrant a complete exemption from initial COVID-19 vaccination.

We have seen how interactions with patients on this topic may become emotional and difficult. If a patient becomes abusive toward a physician, staff member or other patients because a vaccination exemption request is denied, you have the right to ask that patient to leave the premises. You and your team are not expected to tolerate this type of behaviour.

I recognize these are trying times for frontline healthcare workers and I thank you for your continued dedication to patient safety. If you have any questions or require additional support, please reach out to us at

Scott McLeod, MD, MPH, MPA, CCFP, FCFP
Registrar and CEO

 

[JHolmesJr]

So give me one clear-cut instance where you could safely write a letter exempting a patient from taking even one of these mrna jabs.

 

[nayr69sg]

So give me one clear-cut instance where you could safely write a letter exempting a patient from taking even one of these mrna jabs.

Actually based on guidelines not much.

allergic reaction means they have been given it BEFORE!

I guess any patient CURRENTLY having myocarditis or pericarditis then cannot. Other than that. No.

- Severe allergic reaction/anaphylaxis following receiving/ingestion of any component of COVID-19 vaccine (refer for Allergy Assessment Pathway)
Defer until assessment completed by an allergist/immunologist; assessment may or may not result in exemption •
COVID-19 vaccination using a different type of vaccine may be considered for re-immunization •
If immunization with a different platform is offered, individuals should be observed for at least 30 minutes after immunization

Current confirmed diagnosis of myocarditis or pericarditis from any cause
mRNA COVID-19 vaccination should be deferred until myocarditis or pericarditis resolve •
Specialist referral should be considered


Persons who received antiviral monoclonal antibody therapy or convalescent plasma for COVID-19 treatment
These people may not mount a vaccine response •
Interim suggestion: deferral of vaccination for 3 months is suggested (based on antibody half-life). •
Expert clinical opinion should be sought on a case-by-case basis