Hospital threatens to fire workers who refuse COVID-19 vaccine

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: CBS News

Houston Methodist started with a carrot to ensure all of its 26,000 employees get vaccinated against COVID-19. Now it's using a stick.

The hospital system is requiring that all of its workers get their shots by June 7, making it the first hospital system in the U.S. to issue a vaccination mandate. Managers at the hospital faced an earlier deadline and had to get their shots by April 15.

Houston Methodist — a medical center and six community hospitals — rewarded its vaccinated workers with an extra $500 back in March, while also signaling that at some point the shots would no longer be voluntary for its workers.

The health system needs to do all it can to keep patients safe during the pandemic, and that includes having all staff vaccinated, Dr. Marc Boom, Houston Methodist's president and CEO, told employees on Friday in an emailed message.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hospital-threatens-to-fire-workers-who-refuse-covid-19-vaccine/ar-BB1fZ4A8?li=BBnb7Kz

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Seems reasonable if you're working around vulnerable people.

[DURHAM D]

1. 'bout time

I changed dentists because most of his employees proudly refuse the vaccine.

[3catwoman3]

3. I hope you told him...

...exactly that.

[DURHAM D]

6. I did.

He seemed frustrated and said HIPAA prevented him from taking action. I asked him if his children (who are in private school) had to be vaccinated. He did not seem to know.

[3catwoman3]

10. No surprise. After 45 years as a pediatric nurse practitioner, I can tell you...

...that there is still, often, a division of labor when it comes to kids’ medical care/history. The moms always know. The dads sometimes do.

[CaptainTruth]

16. Of course he's wrong, HIPAA doesn't prevent it.

In my experience about 99% of people don't understand HIPAA or what it does, & folks on the Right use it as an excuse to not do anything they don't like.

[DURHAM D]

20. Agree. Businesses are hiding behind HIPAA as an excuse to avoid providing info.

Sometimes I think they believe their own lies.

[elias7]

22. Right. HIPAA doesn't pertain to employers.

A healthcare professional can commit a HIPAA violation, by releasing info about an individual without that individual’s permission.

[wryter2000]

23. What the maskholes say

"I have a medical condition that prevents me from wearing a mask, and HIPAA says I don't have to tell you what it is."

My answer, "If your health is that frail, you should be at home, not shopping at Costco."

[kiri]

31. Oh, a MENTAL condition?

A very good response is: [very loudly] Oh, a MENTAL condition?
Please stand over here and we'll try to get you some help.
This invariably leads to shouting; "I said medical..."

Oh, you have a medical problem, TOO? Does that refer to the bruise on your backside?
Did you take your meds today for your MENTAL issue?

The script running in their heads does not allow for a shift in direction. "Are you wearing underwear? I mean your skin has to breathe without clothing."

"Are you a paranoid psychopath? Let me tell you about my great grandmother... Well, during the flu/polio..." See how far you can adlib while the maskless splutters.

[wryter2000]

38. LOL

I'd pay to see that.

[Bayard]

2. "Getting vaccinated is not a political statement,

Its an intelligence test."

Just do it, already, and stop your whining.

[LiberalLovinLug]

12. Great slogan. I'll use that.

"Getting vaccinated is not a political statement. Its an intelligence test." Great retort for some of my brainwashed relatives.

[Bayard]

13. I stole it.

[LiberalLovinLug]

4. Also, seems reasonable to think you would believe in MEDICAL SCIENCE

And DOCTORS, AND VACCINES IF YOU WORKED IN A BLOODY HOSPITAL!

[niyad]

11. One would think so. However, a friend's SiL is an ICU nurse, and qanon cultist and anti-vaxxer.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. Look

When I worked in hospitals as an RN, we were required to have flu shots every year. EVERY YEAR. If we didn't get one, for whatever reason--allergy, pregnancy, whatever--whoever didn't get one had to wear a mask for their entire shift. THE ENTIRE SHIFT, whether it was eight hours or twelve. No exceptions. You could get fired if you didn't. Also, if you refused your flu shot, you had to have a written doctor's exemption for your file, at least in most hospitals I worked at. And in EVERY hospital I worked in, you have do have up to date DTP, which meant your tetanus shot had to be at least every 10 years and probably was more recent because lord knows we do get nasty injuries. (Many hospitals require tetanus every 5 years) We were also required to be vaccinated against Hepatitis B. I may be mistaken, but pediatric nurses may be required to have MMR and meningitis vaccinations also. Maybe other nurses are too now. So what is the BFD here?

[GregariousGroundhog]

9. The BFD is becoming smaller and smaller

I understand why there would be initial skepticism around the vaccines safety given how quickly the vaccine was developed and tested.
Given that lack of adverse reactions among the first 30,000 Phase 3 trial participants after more than nine months and the 200+ million doses given under emergency usage authorization, the risk reward ratio is clearly favors getting the vaccination.

[elias7]

19. Our hospital said that since it was in emergency use, it was technically experimental

But we do mandate the flu vaccine. Primary justification is that you can shed virus before you get sick.

I imagine at some point the transition from emergency or experimental use will become a mandate. I hope so. So many nurses and techs seem Trumpwashed, though you’d think if anyone understood, a healthcare worker would.

[wryter2000]

24. Yup

I worked in the legal department at a medical center, not patient care, and we had to get the flu vaccine.

If you work at a hospital, you need to be vaccinated.

[Fiendish Thingy]

27. I think the major difference is the COVID shots don't have full FDA approval, only emergency.

I think, in most cases, that is the line between whether an employer can require employees to be vaccinated.

[bluestarone]

7. This is the ONLY choice!

Hospitals have full authority to do this! Hell what if they refused to wear masks in operating rooms? What the fuck is wrong with people today?

[DBoon]

8. I was going to ask about the hospital's workers comp insurance premiums

but then realized Texas is the only state to NOT require employers to carry workers compensation insurance.

[groundloop]

14. How long until GQPer state legislatures and governors attempt to make this illegal????

[LaMouffette]

21. In Montana, they're already trying to make it illegal!

I posted this in a response to another DUer's post earlier today:

From the Helena Independent Record (April 7, 2021):

A bill prohibiting publicly accessible businesses and government agencies from denying access or goods to people on the basis of their vaccination status advanced on a preliminary vote in the House on Tuesday.

House Bill 703 passed second reading on a 58-42 vote, while another measure making it easier to get a medical vaccine exemption, House Bill 334 moved forward a 29-21 second reading vote in the Senate.

HB 703, sponsored by Rep. Jedediah Hinkle, R-Belgrade, focused his comment on vaccine passports, a concept being developed by some states, countries and businesses as a type of documentation required for people to travel or attend certain events to ensure they have immunity to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.


[link:https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/montana-lawmakers-advance-measures-barring-vaccine-passports-easing-exemptions/article_030c7ab9-5982-5d72-8e1e-0eb45b9620da.html|

What I want to know is, does this mean they will STOP requiring schoolchildren to be vaccinated to attend public school? Is that next? Right now, they're required to be vaccinated against no fewer than five different diseases.

[link:https://www.mcpsmt.org/Page/2111|

And what about requiring people who work at a hospital to take a TB test? I suppose they would see that as a terrible infringement on individual rights, too!

My hope is that as the anti-vaxxers see that people who have been vaccinated are NOT dropping over dead, nor are they dying from Covid or getting seriously ill from it, that they will grudgingly go get themselves vaxxed.

Also, I'd like to see businesses give very generous perks to people who have been vaxxed, like 20 percent off their purchase, maybe special events just for the vaxxed, things like that. Just a cavalcade of benefits that would give anti-vaxxers a crushing FOMA (fear of missing out) reaction.

And I'd like to see people reward businesses in turn by only patronizing those in which all employees have been vaxxed and still wear a mask to protect against variants.

[Lonestarblue]

15. Some businesses and schools are using the excuse of emergency use status to avoid mandates.

The FDA should give full approval to both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as soon as possible to remove that excuse. Anyone who works around patients, including dentists and their assistants, should be required to be vaccinated. Businesses could give employees who refuse the vaccine the option of wearing a company-provided heavy mask the entire time they’re working—and as long as there are any Covid cases in the country. Taking the mask off during working hours should be a firing offense. I suspect more people might get tired of wearing the mask and get vaccinated!

[MichMan]

34. The full FDA approval requires adherence to established protocols and rules

I'm hoping you're not suggesting that those can be ignored or over ruled by politicians ?

Requiring drugs adhere to the FDA protocol in order to obtain approval is not an "excuse"

[MichMan]

42. I wonder if congress should pass legislation with criminal penalties for not getting vaccinated

Last edited Sat Apr 24, 2021, 08:28 PM - Edit history (1)

90 days behind bars or a IRS tax penalty of $5000 would do it.

[gopiscrap]

17. good

[NoMoreRepugs]

18. 600,000 Dead Americans doesn't register with some people.

Sometimes I wish I was Canadian.

[3auld6phart]

26. Sadly

We have a our share, like most places world wide of brain dead anti
masks, antivacers. Sadly it is a eWorld wide problem.

[MichMan]

37. The US has twice the number of doses administered per capita than Canada

[lark]

25. Hmm, in FL hospitals can mandate vaccines for their staff.

I know, I had to get the flu shot each year or produce a dr. note with reasons why I can't take it or proof that I got the shot somewhere else. They did the same with their staff with vaccines for CV19 and they all got it early in Jan. This was even for clerical and mail staff, not just patient facing staff.

PS - I never minded getting the shots, figured it just made me safer.

[BobTheSubgenius]

28. I wouldn't be surprised if the TX Leg made it illegal to even single out unvaccinated people.

I think a reasonable compromise in that situation is to allow them to keep their jobs, but wear full hazmat gear to even come on to the property.

[duforsure]

29. Methodists Houston is my hospital I have to go to,

And this is great news . They are a great hospital , and doing this now is what all hospitals and health care people should be doing. Like teachers, food service workers, public service workers, and others.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

33. Best hospitals in the Houston and surrounding area

[peggysue2]

30. Sound absolutely reasonable

Particularly at a hospital or any medical facility. But reason does not compute in MAGA world, so I'm sure a huge howl will be raised because:

FREEDUMB!

[Warpy]

32. Good. They do the same for flu shots every year and should

People in health care who are suckers for anitvax propaganda need to find jobs away from vulnerable people.

Nobody likes getting stuck, but a jab followed by a day or so of discomfort to protect other people as well as oneself is a great deal.

Complications are in the double digits per million at most and that's about as safe as anything is going to get.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

40. My partner's workmate so far us refusing the COVID vax

She bitches every year about the mandatory flu vax.

This COVID vax thing is pissing me off because they work in close quarters in the treatment center and my partner is immune compromised (no spleen). His doc told him the vax won’t be as effective.

And she has a 95 year old mom she is really worried about infecting.

I can’t wait until it’s mandatory for their hospital.

[Warpy]

41. My guess is that most hospitals will issue the order by June

"Get stuck or get another job." Some people are just whiny dumbasses because they're hard wired to be whiny dumbasses.

Her mom is best protected if her mom gets the jab(s).

In the meantime, whatever your partner has been doing has worked. Keep it up.

(I'll be sad to see public masking go, I haven't had a sniffle or case of "was that the flu?" in over a year)

[SunSeeker]

35. Good. These anti-vaxx fuckwits are endangering patients.

[turbinetree]

36. You think during the performance review, they should be asked, let me see your Covid shot card

then go from there......

[George II]

39. When my wife was a nurse, she was required to get a flu shot every year. One of her co-workers....

....was allergic to the flu shot, so she had to wear a mask all the time. This was long before mask wearing was "normal" like today.

[Drum]

43. I'm for this! n/t

[maliaSmith]

44. Refusing the vaccine

I read that 40% of the military are refusing the vaccine. They must be required to get it. We don't want to be infected by the ignorant anti vaxers.

[FakeNoose]

45. Every retail establishment - stores, restaurants, bars, etc. should require

... every employee that works with the public to have Covid vaccinations. Without exception. The employer is the guy who signs the paychecks and takes the liability risks. How can business owners even get liability insurance if they don't require employees to be vaccinated?

I don't get it. To me it's a no-brainer.