Most hospital staff in Stanislaus area complied with COVID vaccine mandate. But not all
Hospital owners in Stanislaus County said the vast majority of their employees have complied with a state mandate for health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
That leaves an undetermined number of health care employees who are not vaccinated and raises concerns the state mandate could have the effect of worsening staffing shortages at hospitals.
The state order in August required workers in health care facilities, such as hospitals and medical offices, to get fully vaccinated by Thursday. The California Department of Public Health explained that health care facilities are high-risk settings for COVID-19 outbreaks, which can have severe consequences for vulnerable patients.
Kaiser Permanente made its own vaccination requirement for its 216,000 employees and 23,000 doctors. Kaiser said in a statement this week that about 97% of employees are vaccinated or have asked for a medical or religious exemption. Health care workers can ask for exceptions based on medical reasons or religious beliefs.
As Thursday’s deadline approached, Kaiser said it was getting an increasing number of responses from the remaining employees. Those not meeting requirements by Thursday could be placed on unpaid administrative leave Friday, Kaiser said. Employees choosing not to comply with the vaccine mandate could be dismissed by Dec. 1.
“Kaiser Permanente has an obligation to our 12.5 million members and patients and to our employees, physicians and communities to ensure their safety and to protect them from infection,” Kaiser said.
Kaiser Permanente has a medical center in north Modesto and clinical offices in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.
Sutter Health of Sacramento said it did not have the specific number of employees vaccinated against COVID at Memorial Medical Center in Modesto and the Sutter Gould medical offices in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
Sutter said it has a workforce vaccine policy that goes beyond the state mandate by requiring COVID vaccinations in nonclinical facilities where employees work.
Sutter said more than 44,000 employees in the Sacramento region, Central Valley and Bay Area have received COVID vaccinations, or else they are working at home or were approved for medical or religious exemptions. The number of unvaccinated employees working under medical or religious exemptions was not disclosed.
“We’re deeply appreciative of the steps our workforce has taken to comply with these important measures that are vital to protecting our patients, their colleagues and our communities and stopping the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. William Isenberg, chief quality and safety officer for Sutter Health.
Krista Deans, spokeswoman for Doctors Medical Center, said the Modesto hospital and its sister facility, Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock, will comply with the state mandate. “Our hospitals are able to safely treat those who come to us for care, and we will work with our resources to supplement our core staff as needed,” she said by email.
Nurse claims religious exemption
A registered nurse said many colleagues are afraid of losing their jobs if they are not given an exemption. Amanda Lowell, who formerly worked for Doctors Medical Center, said the medical exemptions requiring a note from a doctor are not often approved.
Lowell was one of a dozen or so health care workers who spoke against the state mandate at a county Board of Supervisors meeting in August. The county has no responsibility for imposing or enforcing the state order.
Lowell said Wednesday that an estimated 5% of 439,000 nurses in California have an objection to the vaccine mandate. She said strict enforcement of the order will cause staffing shortages in the middle of the pandemic.
“I am not anti-vaccine,” Lowell said. “I have been a nurse and know the importance of vaccinations. ... There is not enough information on (the COVID vaccines). It has not been thoroughly studied.”
Lowell said she was given a religious exemption. Twice-weekly testing is required for exempt employees, who also must wear proper face coverings.
A group of health workers she helped to organize, Take a Stand California, will hold a night of prayer for those standing up for religious freedoms, starting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Shelter Cove Community Church in Modesto.
Deans, the spokesperson for Doctors Medical Center, said medical exemptions are not hard to obtain. She said all of those requests have been approved by the hospital.
San Joaquin prepares for staff vacancies
In San Joaquin County, the Board of Supervisors approved $2 million Tuesday to fill staff vacancies at San Joaquin General Hospital that could be created by employees not complying with the state vaccine mandate, according to The Record newspaper. The chief executive of San Joaquin General said he had seen slow but steady growth this month in vaccinations for hospital workers.
In its statement, Kaiser acknowledged the decision-making may be difficult for some employees. And it’s doing what it can to support those employees with information and discussion. According to Kaiser’s statement, the vaccination mandate was motivating employees to get educated on the available vaccines and get the shots.
“Our goal is not to end anyone’s employment. It’s to ensure that our workforce, patients and communities are safe as possible from the virus,” Kaiser said.
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 7:20 AM.
