Are any of your local hospitals imposing similar mandates as my local hospital has?
Vinny
Baystate vaccine mandate in effect with 99% employees in compliance
https://www.recorder.com/Baystate-Healt ... t-42829389
GREENFIELD – The vaccine mandate at Baystate Health went into effect Friday, with 99% of employees in compliance.
Out of nearly 13,000 employees, 145 were not in compliance with the policy and have been placed on unpaid administrative leave as of Friday, according to a Baystate Health.
Those employees will have two weeks to get vaccinated if they want to continue with Baystate Health.
“Getting vaccinated is the single most important and responsible step each of us can take to put an end to this devastating pandemic and protect patients, families and each other,” said Dr. Mark Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health.
Dr. Armando Paez, head of the Infectious Disease Division at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, previously said that getting vaccinated may not be 100% at preventing infection, it’s effective preventing serious illness requiring hospitalization and death.
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“Even if younger individuals who have not been vaccinated … if you have a large group of those patients — yes, they may not die from it, they may not be hospitalized — but the more chances you give the virus to replicate and transmit it, the more chances the virus can further mutate,” Paez said. “Later on, that variant may be able to overcome the vaccines we have received.”
Keroack said the safety and efficacy of the “rigorously tested, FDA-approved or authorized vaccines” is clear.
“The best way to keep our care environment safe for both patients and caregivers during the current pandemic is the highly effective and safe COVID-19 vaccine,” he said. “That is why we decided to make vaccination a condition of employment.”
Keroack said he had to weigh the potential pain of workers losing their jobs, with his personal responsibility to provide the safest environment for patients, “which is best assured by a remarkably safe and effective vaccine.”
According to the release, Baystate Health conducted over the last several months an “extensive and respectful process” for concerned employees — answering questions related to the vaccine, providing emotional support in decision making, ensuring that vaccines are easy to obtain, and addressing special concerns or requests for exemptions.
“We recognize that some employees have remained steadfast in their decision to not be vaccinated, but we must put safety first and follow through with our mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy,” he said. “We appreciate the support we have received from our team members, patients and community in moving forward with this decision.”