A Texas hospital system will require employees to get the Covid-19 vaccine and could fire them

[brooklynite]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: CNN

(CNN)A hospital system in Houston is requiring all of its employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19, making it one of the first major hospital systems in the US to mandate vaccination among employees and move to fire them if they don't comply.

Houston Methodist, a network of eight hospitals that has 26,000 employees, said it will require every employee to provide proof of vaccination by June 7.

If employees aren't vaccinated before the June deadline, they'll be suspended, without pay, for two weeks. If they're not vaccinated within that suspension period, the company will "initiate the employee termination process," according to the company's new HR policy, implemented this month.

"As health care workers we must do everything possible to keep our patients safe and at the center of everything we do," Houston Methodist CEO Dr. Marc Bloom told employees in an email obtained by CNN. "By choosing to be vaccinated, you are leaders -- showing our colleagues in health care what must be done to protect our patients, ourselves, our families and our communities."

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/26/us/houston-methodist-covid-vaccine-mandate-trnd/index.html

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[LudwigPastorius]

1. Outstanding.

But, the GOP fuckwits in the lege will probably pass a law making this job requirement illegal.

You know it's coming.

[DENVERPOPS]

20. Perfectly said LP

And the Republicans will get the case shoved into the Supreme Court immediately, on an emergency basis, and we will all witness why they got "Ilikebeer" installed along with the "Handmaiden".............

[MiniMe]

2. Good. They should know better

It is as bad as the "I've got a medical reason that I can't wear a mask" people. BS

[Cousin Dupree]

3. Nurse here. No hospital staff has the right to expose patients or coworkers to Covid

End of story.

[catrose]

8. Yep. A friend works in the administrative part of a hospital, never sees a patient.

She's required to get a flu shot every year. (And she ran for the head of the line, rejoicing, when they offered Covid vaccines.) Certainly anyone who works in any kind of healthcare should be vaccinated.

I was shocked when my chiropractor said he wouldn't. Now looking for a new one. Asking my dentist today.

[Cousin Dupree]

33. If you really want to get his attention, you need to call the office, tell them you won't be

coming back, and tell them why. If you haven’t already. And you’ll feel good about doing it.

[catrose]

44. When I was making the appt, I asked if the office was vaccinated.

When they said no, I said I'd wait until everyone was, and the receptionist said the doctor wouldn't be getting it, so I said I wouldn't be coming in. Since he answers only to himself, I'm not sure he'll care, but I do intend to ask every healthcare provider I go to. When I think of the trouble everyone else has had getting a vaccination, I get really angry when the first people in line won't.

[catrose]

45. Geez Louise, I just called the dentist's office and asked the same question.

About 60-40% the receptionist said, "And you know it's not mandatory." I said because I have so many fragile people in my family, I didn't want to go to an office that wasn't fully vaccinated. I rescheduled for a month out--and I'll ask the same question the week before I go, when they start bothering you about confirmation.

[AZ8theist]

13. As the father of a nurse, I wholeheartedly agree...

But still can't believe I see people wearing scrubs going into stores not wearing a mask.

We're never getting to herd immunity with these assholes running around.....

[Phoenix61]

23. I'd bet they've been vaccinated for quite awhile.

I know it’s not best practice but....

[AZ8theist]

40. Would you go to a doctors or dentists office where none of the staff was masked??

I wouldn't.

[Phoenix61]

42. If I knew everyone was vaccinated, yes, I would. nt

[AZ8theist]

43. The vaccines are not 100% effective.

Any number of patients can carry the virus into the office or clinic and any number of staff could transmit it...

Sorry, no mask, no service. If I saw staff at an office unmasked, vaccinated or not, I would RUN the other way.
Unmasked medical workers are committing malpractice, IMO.

[Cousin Dupree]

34. That would bother me too. Lots. Those kind of people are an embarrassment to other

medical people.

[OnlinePoker]

36. I was at a hospital here in B.C. in August for a CT scan

It was at night (10:30 pm) and there were very few patients around, but I was shocked that over half the staff I saw were walking around or working without masks. This was long before the vaccine, and at the time, B.C. had very few Covid cases, but this was a health care setting and they were being very lackadaisical about the virus. Thing have changed as we had a large spike starting a couple of months ago.

[Mersky]

4. Healthcare doesn't get much better than Methodist Hospital in Houston

Was my go to for the weirder care I’ve needed over the years. Methodist is legendary in Houston — broadly respected.

They have done a stellar job vaccinating existing patients. Rave reviews from the many I know that went to them for their vaccine. Has made the prospect of going to their doctors and facilities a safer endeavor. Doesn’t surprise me in the least they are holding their own employees to high standards.

Is a huge, well-run system, and of course it’s in their going concern to make sure their employees are protecting themselves and the vast numbers of patients relying on them.

[lark]

5. WTF, hospital chains here provide vaccinations to their workers for free.

They also mandate that the vaccinations be taken or a letter from a physician be provided with proof the vaccine would be unsafe for their named health condition. People talk about Florida man and with Death Sentence as governor, well what can I say. However TX is is clearly worse than FL. inn this category.

My friend is still working at the hospital where I worked for 20 years and she got hers early in Jan. Everyone in the co. did.

[littlemissmartypants]

9. The vaccines ARE free.

According to the article only two employees have refused and left the very large hospital system.

[walkingman]

14. Fire them - who would want someone with that mentality caring for them?

[Mersky]

10. For Texas, 89% already vaccinated in any organization is pretty good

That last 11% has a fat month to figure out if they’re for hokum or healthcare, Methodist-style.

I appreciate their stance, even if it shouldn’t be needed, and to your point, Texas has to get out of the deadly telephone game being perpetuated by the right wing media and politicians hosing the rural areas with bad information.

Can assume that the ones that aren’t yet vaccinated are mostly cranks/woo-woos/wingers and there’s always a few in a big city.

[ZonkerHarris]

18. "Methodist-style" had me lol

[Mersky]

22. Heck yeah, Methodist is cool

[brush]

6. Seems a no-brainer that hospital/medical workers would see the need and rush to...

get vaccinated—for just their own saftey even. WTF is wrong with these people, why would they even have to be prodded?

[samnsara]

7. when i worked at a catholic hospital i sure as hell had to have my annual tb screening..

...but buy bc pills there? nope.

[LittleGirl]

12. Yup! nt

[hauckeye]

11. How long before the Texas legislature makes this illegal 😡

[relayerbob]

16. My wager is on tomorrow

[Auggie]

17. My first thought too

[Mersky]

26. And if they do, then they'll just add to the uncontrolled misery experiment

They’ve already concocted this year. We practical Texans are going to survive their terrible new policies that are already unpopular, and must be unstoppable in our GOTV efforts.

Methodist and the Medical Center in Houston are rightly prestigious, so used car salesmen in the lege should take a backseat on this one.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

38. Because most of us wanted masks for a while longer,

The governors recent edict that businesses that don’t want to will not have to require masks, didn’t change much.

Most stores and businesses are still requiring them. Many of them found out most of their customers wanted them.

[relayerbob]

15. Glad and about time

[oldsoftie]

19. Seems as though more hospitals would be doing this.

I mean, the anecdotal evidence is clear; most people dying or going to the hospital have been older people. But now that most older folks have been vaccinated, the majority of admissions are now YOUNGER people.
What the hell does that tell us??

[Act_of_Reparation]

21. It tells me you need to read up on how policies like this are implemented.

The COVID-19 vaccines were granted emergency use authorization by the FDA in December. Most hospital systems cannot make these vaccines a requirement until they are granted full approval

[Phoenix61]

24. In a right to work state they can fire you

for whatever reason they want. You’re guessing about whether or not they can be required in their current approval status.

[Act_of_Reparation]

25. I'm not guessing anything.

I'm well aware of why the vaccines are not currently required by own employer.

[Phoenix61]

27. That's your employer's choice.

There is nothing in federal law that prevents employers from mandating covid vaccination as a requirement of employment.

[NCjack]

28. Perhaps this will lead to science-based (DEM) and cult-based (Repuke) hospitals.

[P-Nutt]

29. I Received An E-Mail Today From The Medical University Of South Carolina

Where all of my healthcare providers reside, stating that all staff, Doctors and all others, would be taking the vaccine. All will have either the Pfizer, or Moderna variants as they are not using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

I received my 2nd dose last Wednesday, and my wife is due for her 2nd dose on 5/21 through her job. MUSC is by far the largest Hospital system in South Carolina, and one of the largest in the Southeast. It is a teaching facility as well, and all students will also be vaccinated.

I feel relieved to have the vaccine, but I worry for others who choose to refuse it. I just do not understand the thought process that is required to put your life at risk for no good reason. By this fall, I can see another massive surge in Civid-19 cases, and expect yet more restrictions to be mandated. If people would just do the right thing, this could all be behind us by the start of 2022.

[AllaN01Bear]

30. eggscllent.

: :

[FakeNoose]

31. This is the way it will go: get vaxxed or you're laid off

Any large employer, or company that deals with the public such as a restaurant or bar, etc., needs to require their employees to get vaccinated. It's the liability, stupid: companies could be held liable if an employee or a customer becomes infected on their property. I'm sure the lawsuits are coming very soon down the road.

If employees aren't vaccinated, they can't be working there - and it will be enforced by employers and their insurance companies. Either get vaxxed or lose your paycheck.

[ananda]

32. After I got vaxxed, I went to the eye clinic.

Everybody on staff there was fully vaxxed.

It's such a no brainer...

[Sucha NastyWoman]

35. Just brought my husband home from there

And I wouldn’t go anywhere else.

I pick my doctors on the basis of whether they are affiliated with Houston Methodist.

[AZizzy]

37. Here's what should happen

Here’s what should happen next. Interstate commerce providers (airlines, hotels, etc) should require customers prove vaccination before being allowed on/in. CDC should put it out as recommendation. BTW I’d like to see right to work Texas tell employers who they can/can’t fire.

[TexasTowelie]

39. Not LBN (article is dated 4/26) and a duplicate.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142733999

[barbtries]

41. i'm all for it.

are republicans already floating laws to outlaw it?

[Omaha Steve]

46. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

Dupe of https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142733999

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