COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Suppliers

November 26, 2021

Vaccination Requirement

Effective November 30, 2021, all Suppliers working on behalf of the Nova Scotia Government and entering government facilities and/or interacting with provincial employees or the public, will be required to show proof of at least one dose of vaccine to work in or visit provincial workplaces or worksites. Before February 9, 2022, Suppliers will need to be fully vaccinated.

Some exceptions apply:
- Suppliers who solely provide goods and do not need to be physically on site.
- Suppliers who provide services virtually with no requirement to interact with provincial employees or the public.
- Suppliers who perform work outside of the workplace and do not interact with provincial employees or the public. E.g. some window cleaning, landscaping and park maintenance activities.
- Suppliers who only access common areas, accessible to the public. E.g. some courier and delivery services, catering services, etc.

Medical exceptions to the proof of vaccination policy for Suppliers requires a valid medical exemption (Valid Medical Contraindication) for the COVID-19 vaccination from a licensed healthcare provider such as a physician or nurse practitioner.
Suppliers are required to advise the Contract Manager of medical exceptions (numbers and locations but not employee names).
In the case of valid medical exceptions, Suppliers will be requested to provide the steps the Supplier proposes to undertake to mitigate any associated risks and to work with the Contract Managers on other protective measures.

Existing Contracts and Suppliers

This guidance applies to all new and existing contracts.

Proof of Full Vaccination

In Nova Scotia, you are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving a full series of a Health Canada approved vaccines.
For information on how to provide proof of full vaccination, please refer to our most recent Public Health Guidance.

Attestation Process

Suppliers will be required to attest that any employees and sub-contractors entering government facilities and/or interacting with provincial employees or the public, on our behalf, have provided the company with proof of full vaccination or at least one dose of vaccine and will be fully vaccinated before February 9, 2022.
The Nova Scotia COVID-19 Supplier Compliance Attestation can be completed here.
The supplier attestation form must be completed by an authorized representative of the supplier by December 23rd 2021. Only one attestation form is required per supplier to address all contracts with the Province.

Future Contracts and Suppliers

Effective November 30, 2021, bidders for contracts will be required to confirm they meet the proof of vaccination requirement to be considered for a new contract. A completed attestation form will be required prior to the awarding of new contracts.

Monitoring

Suppliers coming into provincial workplaces must be able to provide proof of full vaccination upon request from the Contract Manager or front desk reception.
Suppliers are requested to carry their proof of vaccination at all times to avoid possible removal from a workplace.
We will periodically monitor adherence to the proof of vaccination protocol for Suppliers by requesting to see proof of vaccination.
Many suppliers may be asked to show proof of vaccination to enter provincial facilities in the same way our visitors are being asked. In the event there are compliance issues with this protocol, contract termination may be considered. We will make every attempt to work with Suppliers on accommodation requests as part of our relationship with industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does this requirement come into effect?

This protocol is applicable as of November 30th, 2021.

Why is this requirement being put in place?

The ongoing presence of COVID-19 poses a significant risk to our population, including employees and the public we interact with. This direction is aligned to the requirement for all employees to be fully vaccinated and contributes to maintaining safe and healthy workplaces.

Who may I ask questions about this?

After reviewing the information and links provided here, Suppliers are encouraged to reach out to their provincial Contract Manager with questions about this requirement.

How do I know what is valid proof of full vaccination?

The proof of full vaccination protocol outlines what fully vaccinated means and what information is required on records to prove full vaccination. There is also a guide for businesses and organizations that gives step by step instructions and a guide for the public on what to expect when going places where proof of full vaccination is required.

Who is responsible for checking proof of vaccination for Suppliers?

Suppliers are responsible to check their employee’s and sub-contractor’s proof of vaccination and to attest to it. To monitor this requirement, Contract Managers are to ensure that proof of vaccination is verified upon entry into the workplace. Suppliers must be prepared to show proof of vaccination at anytime while in provincial workplaces.

Some Suppliers (e.g. short term or infrequent visits) will be processed as a Visitor and asked for proof of vaccination at the point of entry to provincial workplaces.

For guidance on how to check proof of full vaccination please consult the Public Health Guide.

What are medical reasons for not getting vaccinated?

There is limited number of specific medical reasons why someone should not or cannot get COVID-19 vaccine. They include:

a history of severe allergic reaction (like anaphylaxis) after previous administration of a COVID-19 vaccine using a similar platform (mRNA or viral vector)
allergy to any component of the specific COVID-19 vaccine or its container (polyethylene glycol for Pfizer’s Comirnaty and Moderna’s Spikevax COVID-19 vaccines)
a history of major venous or arterial thrombosis with thrombocytopenia following vaccination with AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria COVID-19 vaccine
a history of capillary leak syndrome following vaccination with AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria vaccine
a history of myocarditis or pericarditis after a first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax)
experiencing a serious adverse event after receiving your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine (a serious adverse event is defined as life-threatening, requires in-patient hospitalization or prolongs an existing hospitalization, results in persistent or significant disability, incapacity or in a congenital anomaly or birth defect)

Additionally, as a precaution, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that people who experienced myocarditis and/or pericarditis after a first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) should wait to get their second dose of mRNA vaccine until more information is available.

Immunosuppression, auto-immune disorders, pregnancy and breastfeeding are not medical reasons that prevent people from getting COVID-19 vaccine.

What if some of my employees will not become fully vaccinated?

Suppliers MAY be required to provide substitute service providers or work with Contract Managers to meet the terms and conditions of the contract.

I supply goods and services to hospitals, correctional facilities, long term care or residential care homes, schools and other places at high risk of COVID-19. Do I need to be partially vaccinated or fully vaccinated by November 30?

On October 6, Government announced mandatory vaccination protocol for high-risk settings found here: COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Protocol in High-Risk Settings. If you are providing goods and services within hospitals, correctional facilities, long term care or residential care homes, schools and other places at high-risk of COVID-19 transmission, you are required to be fully vaccinated by November 30.

For other provincial government workplaces, such as Access Centers, department offices, construction sites and so on, suppliers are required to have at least a single dose of vaccine by November 30 and be fully vaccinated before February 9.