Full vaccination of all staff is imperative at local hospitals to ensure the community is protected.
That’s according to Dr. Vikram Ralhan, Georgian Bay General Hospital’s chief of staff, who also works as an emergency room physician and coroner.
“As a health system, we need to do everything possible to safeguard our patients, families and communities and those who provide their care,” Ralhan told MidlandToday.
In conjunction with more than a dozen partner hospitals across Ontario’s Central Region, GBGH and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care are adopting mandatory vaccination policies.
“Upon the government announcing directive 6 in late August, the hospitals of the Central Region met collectively to decide on a consistent approach across the region,” he said.
“The vast majority of Central Region hospitals – GBGH included - support the mandatory vaccinations with the goal being a 100 percent full vaccination rate.”
Ralhan said that while the overwhelming majority of team members have been vaccinated, the hospital needs a consistent policy for now and down the road.
“We have spent the past two weeks considering all impacts of mandatory vaccination, such as staffing and logistics, and are currently drafting our policy considering these impacts,” Ralhan said.
The move is deemed necessary due to a rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the contagious Delta variant, and there is clear evidence that the vast majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are among unvaccinated people.
Laurene Hilderley, Waypoint’s communications and fund development manager, said the move wasn’t made lightly, but is necessary to safeguard patients, families, communities and those who provide their care.
“The fourth wave is already upon us and both the number of positive cases and hospitalizations are concerning,” she said.
“The provincial numbers show that the majority of patients who are in hospital with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. We must do everything in our power to keep our patients, staff and community safe.”
Staff members at Waypoint, which employs 1,350 people, have until November 8 to be fully vaccinated unless they have a verified exemption.
“Anyone who is not fully vaccinated will also be required to complete a mandatory education module on the COVID-19 vaccine,” Hilderley said.
“We will work with our staff and those who are on our sites to support them as we work towards 100 percent vaccination. There will be various opportunities for compliance including education and an unpaid leave of absence period before termination of employment would be considered.”
At GBGH, meanwhile, there will be an “escalation process” for staff, credentialed staff and volunteers, who choose to not be vaccinated.
“As reporting vaccination status was not mandatory – only requested – until now, we are still gathering the current vaccination status of all employees, credentialed staff (physicians) and volunteers,” Ralhan said.
“We do know an overwhelming majority of GBGH team members have already been vaccinated. Effective September 8th, those who have not declared their status or choose to not be vaccinated will be required to participate in an education session about the COVID-19 vaccine and submit to regular antigen point-of-care testing once every seven days.”
GBGH currently has 687 active staff members (74% of whom reported being fully vaccinated on August 31), excluding persons on maternity/parental leaves and extended leaves of absence. It also has 137 (72% fully vaccinated) active credentialed staff and 118 (83% fully vaccinated) active volunteers.
“We are grateful to all those who have already been vaccinated,” Ralhan noted. “It is our best defence against the virus and the best effort to lessen the impact of a fourth wave on hospitals.”
Ralhan said that like many HR policies, the hospital’s vaccination policy, which is currently under development, will have progressive and escalating steps to encourage unvaccinated individuals to become fully vaccinated on or before November 1st.
“Employees, credentialed staff and volunteers who have a verified medical or human rights exemption will not be subject to this escalation process,” he added.
“Individuals who are not exempt for medical reasons or who will not declare their vaccination status will be subject to progressive policies beyond mandatory education and testing.
“These policies could lead to unpaid leave and/or termination for cause or removal of hospital privileges. Mandatory vaccination for new employees is being implemented at GBGH, as it is at all hospitals in the Central Region.”
