Few U.S. healthcare workers ignore vaccine deadlines



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With deadlines for healthcare workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus in the past or rapidly approaching, it’s clear that only a fraction of those workers across the country are choosing to risk their jobs by not complying.

The consequences announced by employers are becoming reality.

Colorado’s UCHealth system laid off 119 workers this week; California-based Kaiser Permanente has suspended more than 2,200 employees; and 400 workers quit the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit rather than get vaccinated.

UCHealth, a nonprofit system serving the Rocky Mountain region, sent the latest of several email reminders to 119 employees – 0.5% of its workforce – who had not received a vaccine or exemption on Friday. medical or religious. They had already been removed from weekend schedules and were informed this week of their dismissal.

“We certainly would have liked 100% compliance,” Dan Weaver, vice president of communications, said Wednesday. He said dismissed employees were “encouraged” to reapply for their positions once they had been vaccinated.

Kaiser Permanente, which is based in California and is one of the largest nonprofit health plans in the country, announced its vaccination requirement on August 2, when 78% of its workforce had already been vaccinated. A spokesperson said on Wednesday the level had risen to more than 92 percent.

Still, about 1% of Kaiser’s workforce across the country – or about 2,200 workers – were put on unpaid administrative leave because they failed to meet vaccine requirements, the spokesperson said. . They have until December 1 to get vaccinated so they can return to work. “We hope that none of our employees choose to quit their jobs rather than get vaccinated, but we won’t know for sure until then,” he said.

The Henry Ford health system has demanded that its employees comply with its vaccination obligation by last Friday. The system announced Tuesday that 99% of its 33,000 employees had been fully immunized, would soon receive their second dose, or had received medical or religious exemptions.

But about 400 employees have resigned due to the requirement, and new hires have already made up for the loss, officials said.

At Henry Ford, Bob Riney, president of healthcare operations and chief operating officer, said those who have left the company can reapply once they have been vaccinated.

“We are doing everything we can to keep these doors open,” Riney told reporters. “Whatever they choose, we wish them the best and appreciate the years of service they have provided to our community and to our organization. “

On Monday, Northwell Health, New York State’s largest healthcare provider, announced that 1,400 employees – less than 2% of its staff – had refused to be vaccinated against the coronavirus and had to leave their homes. use.

On September 9, President Biden announced a mandate requiring workers in nearly every hospital and health system across the country to get vaccinated or have weekly coronavirus tests.

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