Vaccine mandate leaves Ross River, Yukon, with 3 fewer emergency medical responders

The community of Ross River, Yukon, is down by three medical first-responders, after the three — a married couple and their daughter — chose to take leave without pay instead of declaring their COVID-19 vaccination status to the government.

Tim Colwell was supervisor of the EMS in Ross River for about 20 years, and his wife Gwendy and daughter Jessica were also on-call as emergency medical responders (EMRs).  

Two weeks ago, the Yukon government's COVID-19 vaccination mandate came into effect for all public servants. Employees with the territorial government had to submit proof they'd had at least their first shot of COVID-19 vaccine by midnight on Nov. 30. Those who didn't were to take leave without pay starting the next day.

The Colwells didn't declare their vaccination status by the deadline. On Dec. 1, Tim said they were told to put their radio at the ambulance bay, and that their services were no longer needed.

The Colwells were trained, volunteer EMRs and were paid a stipend by the government for their on-call hours. They were also paid when they responded to a call, which Tim says would happen, on average, about six to 10 times per month in the community of roughly 400 people. 

"It hit pretty hard," Tim says of having to take leave without pay. "I mean, we have made a choice for years to serve our community and our constituents here."

Now the Colwells have made a choice to not get the COVID-19 vaccine. Tim says he doesn't believe it's "tried and true," and calls it "an experimental drug."

Health Canada's approved COVID-19 vaccines are no longer considered experimental by regulators and health professionals. Vaccines have gone through clinical trials and regulatory reviews and have been deemed safe and effective.

And despite his reservations, Tim insists he's not "anti-vax."

"I'm not going to say the vaccine is bad. I know I have a friend that would not be with us today if it weren't for the vaccine," he said. 

"So, I'm not 'anti-vax.' Just in my situation, in our family, we have decided that we do not want the vaccine."

Jessica Colwell, Tim's daughter, said she chose not to attest to her vaccination status as she doesn't feel it's her "employer's position to know whether I'm vaccinated or not."

Tim said he understands the government's desire to protect its employees. He suggests that using personal protective equipment is enough to keep himself safe from COVID-19. 

He says some of his neighbours in Ross River have questioned his family's decision but most have been supportive.

"People understand who we are," he says.

The central Yukon region, which includes Ross River, has typically had lower COVID-19 vaccination rates than elsewhere in the territory. As of last week, 73 per cent of adult residents in that region had at least two shots of vaccine, compared to 91 per cent for the territory as a whole. 

'The service is already struggling'

Tim Colwell says there are typically about six people who work for the EMS in Ross River, but he, Gwendy and Jessica were the ones who were available and on call the most. He said there were always two EMRs on call at any given time. 

Tim says there's always been a crunch for medical first responders in Ross River and in other rural communities in Yukon — so he knows his decision will have an impact.

"To be let go when I know the service is already struggling to provide enough attendants for the community, it hurts," Tim said.

The Colwells all have other jobs — Tim and his wife are local church ministers — so they're not totally reliant on their EMR income. Tim estimates that he and his wife have lost about a quarter of their income by having to go on leave.

"It just means that we tighten our belts a little bit and don't spend as much, and Christmas will be a little different," Tim said.

If the vaccine mandate is eventually lifted, Tim said his family has "every intention to continue to serve our community and do what we can."

"Our desire is to help our community," he said. "I don't see why that would change even after the mandate."

Jessica says she's written a letter to the premier, and she's talked to her MLA, Stacey Hassard.

"I've done all these things. But the consensus that I've heard is, they're not willing to budge, and they don't really care," said Jessica.

Gov't 'working to make sure positions are covered'

Speaking last week, Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee said 94.2 per cent of Yukon government employees had attested to having received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Of those who had not attested, about 107 were full-time employees.

Yukon government employees have until Jan. 30 to get their second dose of vaccine.

The government says public servants who were put on leave can return to the job any time — once they've had a shot.

John Streicker, minister of the public service commission, confirmed there are "a handful of people" on leave without pay in Ross River, and a few on leave with pay while the territory works through exemptions that some people applied for. In total, they make up about 10 people, he said, though he refused to say more citing privacy concerns. 

He said each government department works to ensure services are being provided, while anyone is on leave for any reason. The government has had to manage these sort of staffing issues throughout the pandemic, he said.

"Remember, when COVID started, we had people that were off, or when we started with the vaccine clinics, we were pulling people in, or when we were doing borders, we were moving people around," Streicker said.

"What I can tell you is that, yes, we are aware that there are some pressures on Ross River and in each of the departments, whether that's health, or whether that's education, or highways — they're all working to make sure that those positions are covered."

Stacey Hassard, the opposition Yukon Party MLA for Pelly-Nisutlin, suggests the government didn't properly think through its vaccine mandate.

Hassard said that in larger jurisdictions, a few people missing from the workforce might not have a huge effect. But for small communities like Ross River it makes a big difference.

"I don't think the government did any planning, and they just don't understand how it's affecting rural Yukon in particular," Hassard said.

"It's very frustrating because there are no answers. We're not getting any information from the government."

Streicker acknowledged that smaller communities are at more risk of service gaps when even just a few people are off the job, but he defends the government's vaccine mandate.

"There's a risk to missing staff who have gone on leave without pay," Streicker said, "but there's also a risk to COVID."