BCNU President Gayle Duteil urges health authorities to scrap "flu shot or mask" policy

The President of the BC Nurses' Union has sent a letter to every health authority CEO in BC urging them to end the "flu shot or mask" policy. Gayle Duteil points to a recent arbitration decision in Ontario that supports the BC Nurses' Union position.

In that decision, the arbitrator concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the policy and found it was unreasonable, a violation of the collective agreement and a coercive tool to force health care workers to get the flu shot.

The BC policy is also coercive, unreasonable and a violation of the collective agreement. Read Gayle's letter to health authorities.

In BC, the controversial "vaccination or mask" policy has been in effect since 2013. BCNU is legally required to advise members to comply.

However, BCNU has consistently taken a strong position opposing mandatory vaccination and we will continue to support our members' right to make personal/professional decisions about whether the flu vaccine is right for them.

Nurses should also take other precautions to prevent influenza including washing their hands and staying home if experiencing flu symptoms.

• British Columbia's influenza control program