St. Joseph’s Health Care requiring staff be fully vaccinated by November 30

As of the end of November, staff and physicians at St. Joseph’s Health Care London will either have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or find a new job.

The hospital confirmed on Tuesday it is tightening its COVID-19 vaccination policy to mandate the shot.

“Any staff, physician or affiliate who is not fully vaccinated or does not have a documented medical exemption by November 30 will no longer be considered fit to work at St. Joseph’s. These individuals will not be scheduled to work and their employment contract with St. Joseph’s will be reviewed,” the hospital said in a statement.

Staff who work at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care will be required to be fully vaccinated or show proof of a medical exemption by November 15. This is in alignment with a provincial directive announced last Friday requiring all employees, volunteers, and students working in long term care homes in Ontario be fully vaccinated against the virus.

Until now, the unvaccinated or those unwilling to show proof-of-vaccination were allowed to take a rapid test three times a week in order to work inside St. Joseph’s Health Care. They also had to take a vaccine education course by September 30.

“From the very first days of the pandemic, St. Joseph’s has created numerous policies, protocols and processes to ensure we are providing safe care and to preserve our capacity to do so,” the hospital said. “Mandatory vaccination is the necessary next step in our response to this ever-evolving pandemic.”

Of the hospital’s staff and physicians who have reported their COVID-19 status, 90 per cent have received two doses to be considered fully inoculated.

St. Joseph’s Health Care is not the first area hospital to make getting the shot mandatory. In August, the London Health Sciences Centre announced it was giving its staff until October 22 to be fully vaccinated or risk termination. St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital said on Monday its employees have until November 18 to get both doses.

Read original story from London Ontario – BlackburnNews.com