B.C. to offer single-dose J&J vaccine to unvaccinated health-care workers first

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says unvaccinated health-care workers will be offered the first opportunity to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine against COVID-19 when it arrives in British Columbia next week.

Dr. Henry says the federal government will provide B.C. with a limited number of doses of the vaccine, which has been widely used in the United States.

She says the vaccine has not yet been available in the province.

Dr. Henry says some unvaccinated health-care workers who were placed on mandatory unpaid leave for three months have suggested they would take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

She says she also expects the vaccine to be made available to members of the public, depending on the amount of supply the province receives.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the number of health-care workers placed on leave due to their unvaccinated status has been declining in recent days as more get the shots.