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LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) – Several Kentucky healthcare providers are forcing the COVID-19 vaccine on employees, excluding religious and medical reasons.
But what about pregnant employees?
LEX18 spoke to a UK nurse who said she felt like she had to make an impossible choice.
“It’s just like you’re in this situation where we have to choose between doing what you think is best for your baby or being able to provide for your baby, so it’s a very scary situation,” she declared.
She said there was a lot of confusion around who could get medical exemption when the UK announced that all employees must be vaccinated by September 15.
“I was scared,” she said. “My colleagues got scared.”
She said that a statement on the CDC website was the reason she was nervous about getting the vaccine during her pregnancy. It indicates that “limited data is available on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women.”
However, he goes on to say that the “early data” is “reassuring”. But that was not enough to convince the nurse.
“There are still clinical trials going on and I just don’t feel safe,” she said.
She is open to getting it after childbirth, but not while she is pregnant.
She said she requested an exemption from her doctor at the UK Women’s Health Clinic, but was told no because it is UK policy to recommend the vaccine.
“I feel like there is pressure from the top to say no to us,” she said.
After the interview, LEX18 contacted UK Healthcare for clarification of its policy.
They returned the following statement:
“The COVID-19 vaccine mandate for UK HealthCare employees includes a declination process for religious or medical reasons. Currently at UK HealthCare anyone who thinks they have a valid reason for exemption can apply for a declination, and it will be assessed by a team of medical experts from various specialties in the UK. However, most, if not all of the recommendations are to take the vaccine against the overall risk of contracting COVID-19. We also advise people who wish to refuse for medical reasons – including pregnancy – to speak to their primary care providers about their personal recommendations on whether or not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. UK HealthCare employees who do not receive the vaccine will need to undergo routine COVID-19 testing and / or may be reassigned to a different area of the medical center, depending on where they are currently working.
LEX18 showed the statement to the nurse who said she was happy there was a declination process but feels the UK is sidestepping the issue by not being specific about women pregnant. She is also worried if her application is not approved she will be moved from a unit where she enjoys working, or to a unit where she will be paid less.
She said she hopes the UK will reconsider its decision and allow pregnant women to wait until after childbirth to get vaccinated – which she is prepared to do.
For those keen to take the declination process forward in the UK, a spokesperson said UK Healthcare employees will receive a link later this week with information on how to access the electronic health records system. (MyChart) and start the declination process.
What the Experts Say – Subtitle?
According to the CDC, There are a few things pregnant women should consider when deciding to get the vaccine:
- your risk of exposure to COVID-19
- the risks of serious illness
- the known benefits of vaccination
- the limited but growing evidence on the safety of vaccinations during pregnancy
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-fetal Medicine, the two main organizations representing healthcare specialists, recommend that pregnant women get the vaccine.
In making the recommendation, both national organizations highlight concerns about significant increases in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant and low regional vaccination rates.
Recent data shows that more than 95% of people hospitalized and / or dying from COVID-19 are those who have not been vaccinated.
Authorities say women who decide to wait until after childbirth to get the vaccine may be at increased risk of serious illness or death.
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