Nova Scotia issues eight week grace period for its vaccine mandate in public sector

Nova Scotia is extending the Nov. 30 deadline by eight weeks for public service workers in the province to show proof of vaccination.

Government spokeswoman Heather Fairbairn says employees were informed last week that any worker who is partially vaccinated by Nov. 15 and who intends to get a second dose will have another eight weeks to get one.

Workers who fail to get vaccinated risk being forced on unpaid administrative leave.

Fairbairn says employees with a single dose of vaccine may be subject to temporary health and safety measures before they are fully vaccinated.

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The extension to the vaccine mandate also applies to employees in the health and education departments.

The government hasn’t released data on how many public sector workers risk being placed on leave for not getting vaccinated.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2021.