Child care workers, paramedics, others to undergo regular COVID testing if not vaccinated

Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated provincial government employees with front-facing jobs will need to undergo regular rapid COVID-19 testing in three week's time. 

The Government of Manitoba's public service members who have direct contact with the public and are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be subject to regular COVID-19 testing, starting October 18 to be in the workplace. Previously that date was October 31 but on Friday it is being moved up. 

"Ensuring public-sector workers that provide valuable public services like health care and education services are routinely tested for COVID-19 or fully immunized will help ensure the safety of their workplace and the people they serve," Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon says in a statement Friday.

Positions include workers at licenced child-care facilities and paramedics. This does not include the private sector or the not-for-profit sector. If these organizations require testing they are responsible for getting the rapid tests and creating requirements with the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce.

"Vaccines are the best protection against COVID-19, for individuals and for others, and I want to thank all Manitoba public-sector workers for their ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable Manitobans and their colleagues,” Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says.

Sectors affected include:

• health-care personnel
• school personnel
• licensed child-care facility personnel
• public servants who regular have direct and ongoing or prolonged direct contact with vulnerable populations
• child and family service personnel
• funded agency personnel in direct contact with vulnerable populations
• home care workers
• paramedics

Unlicensed child care facilities are not required to follow this mandate.

The incoming vaccination mandate was first announced on August 24, saying front-facing public service employees would need to be fully vaccinated. Vaccinations are not a condition of employment. Instances of people not being fully vaccinated and refusing regular testing will require further conversations between the employee and employer.

The province is expecting vaccination rates among provincial employees to mirror the province's total uptake rate.

The province says designated public-sector workplaces must make the rapid testing kits, provided by the province, available for their employees. People who are not fully vaccinated will need a negative COVID-19 rapid test result within 48 hours each time they go to work. If a rapid test gives a positive result or COVID-19 symptoms are displayed, the worker will need to go to a provincial testing site. 

Confirmed positive cases require employees to isolate for 10 days and test negative before returning.

The province expects test positivity rates to mimic what is in the community, not anticipating many false positives. Roussin did not say what the impact on the already-stretching COVID-19 testing capacity could be when asked.