Hospital says 18 employees face termination, lose privileges

Journal staff Bluewater Health says 18 employees or professional staff have been issued termination notices or had their privileges suspended as the hospital’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy comes into effect today.

Journal staff

Bluewater Health says 18 employees or professional staff have been issued termination notices or had their privileges suspended as the hospital’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy comes into effect today.

Of the 18 individuals, or 1%, who did not comply with the policy — which notified staff they had until Oct. 31 to be fully vaccinated to work at Bluewater Health — four work in full-time clinical care, the hospital said in a news release Monday.

Ninety-nine percent of employees and professional staff, which includes doctors, midwives, dentists and others, are fully vaccinated. An additional 25 employees are on a time-limited unpaid leave, the hospital noted.

Late last month, the hospital also announced it will require all designated care partners to be vaccinated to visit a patient in the Petrolia and Sarnia hospitals, as of Nov. 1.

“This mandate is consistent with the broader vaccination requirements in place at the hospital where each entrant is required to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19,” the hospital stated. “Staff, professional staff (doctors, dentists, midwives), volunteers, contractors, and now designated care partners.”