WMH stands by employee vaccine policy

Hospitals across the Treasure Valley have adopted a policy that mandates employees receive vaccinations or face termination.
 Take a Stand Now is a grassroots organization that is fighting that policy, moving to prevent any organization or company that “imposes any course of action that infringes upon the rights of individuals’ liberty and bodily autonomy,” according to its website at www.takeastandnow.org.
 In a recent press release, Take a Stand Now organizer Victoria Stump announced her group has sent a cease-and-desist letter to CEOs of St. Alphonsus, St. Luke’s and Primary Health, as well as elected leadership regarding vaccine mandates.
 The letter expresses the group’s intention to seek declaratory and injunctive relief on top of monetary damages “if forced to pursue such remedies.”
 “Our members have given us clear direction and generous support to begin the legal actions necessary to stop the hospital systems and Primary Health from forcing employees and contractors to either take the vaccine or get fired,” according to the press release.
 The hospitals’ employment mandate is in response to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases and the emerging Delta variant across the country and in Idaho.
 According to Southwest District Health data, as of Aug. 23 there have been 927 confirmed cases of COVID in Washington County, with 374 “probable” cases, and 2,229 confirmed cases in Payette County, with another 640 probable cases.
 There have been a total of 24 deaths in Washington County and 38 in Payette County.
 Idaho Gov. Brad Little recently issued a statement urging Idahoans to receive the COVID-19 vaccination as children return to classes.
 Little said 98.9 percent of new COVID cases since Jan. 1 were people not vaccinated and that 98.6 percent of COVID hospitalizations were people not vaccinated.
 St. Luke’s announced in early July it would require its employees to receive vaccines by September, Dr. Jim Souza citing an increase among employees calling in sick.
   “We’re already struggling to staff ambulatory clinics and in-patient units,” he said. “And employee call-offs due to COVID are actually steadily increasing in the last six weeks.”
 Souza said the hospital made the decision in an effort to protect patients against COVID and the Delta variant.
 But Take a Stand Now said many hospital employees, even those who have already been vaccinated, feel their personal rights are being violated.
 “The message is clear and concise: Not one of these nurses are anti-vaccine, but do believe that individuals have the right to choose whether they will, or will not, receive it,” Stump said.
 So far, Weiser Memorial Hospital has not required its employees receive the vaccination.
 In a letter to the Weiser Signal American, CEO Steven Hale said WMH would continue to support its policy to leave the choice whether to get vaccinated up to its employees.
Here is the letter:
 “Since the beginning of the pandemic our leadership teams have recognized the need to support our staff as they have had to adjust to all the changes and unknowns around COVID-19,” Hale wrote. “With that being said, we know that mandating a vaccine now would create undue stress and likely increase staff turnover.“
 Hale adds, “We have a COVID-19 vaccine policy in place for our employees that is similar to our flu vaccine policy. Neither vaccine is mandated as a condition of employment at Weiser Memorial Hospital but those who chose not to get these vaccines are required to wear a mask.  
 “We are encouraging our staff to get vaccinated and recognize there are a lot of factors that go into this decision. The majority of our staff have acted on our recommendation.  We will continue to monitor and evaluate local data so the decisions we make will provide the safest possible environment for our hospital, staff, and community.”
 The letter adds, “Infection prevention processes for COVID-19 remain in place at the entrances to Weiser Memorial Hospital, Family Medical Center and the hospital’s office complex. Employees, whether vaccinated or not, are required to mask in all patient care areas. All patients, and visitors, are required to mask in the hospital or clinics, whether they are vaccinated or not. This is a Federal mandate for healthcare organizations by CMS.”
 To find out more about COVID in Idaho, visit https://phd3.idaho.gov.