Akron area hospitals not requiring employees get COVID-19 vaccine
Akron-area hospitals are not requiring their health care workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine and said workers who choose not to get the vaccine will not be reassigned.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has said the state will not mandate that the vaccine be required. However, it is possible that individual employers may add it to their policies.
“At this time, we are strongly encouraging but not mandating Akron Children’s Hospital employees get vaccinated for COVID-19,” said Lisa Aurilio, chief operating officer.
“While we are confident the current vaccines are safe and effective based on the science from the clinical trials, we recognize the vaccines were made available to the public by emergency use authorization from the FDA. It is possible that once they are FDA approved, they could be added to our Employee Health requirements. We have addressed employees’ concerns about the vaccine through two town hall forums, updating a ‘frequently-asked question’ document and answering ongoing questions.”
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The hospital is “not planning to reassign employees who decline the vaccine. All screening protocols, of course, will remain in place for employees coming to work,” said Aurilio.
Through an online survey, 72% of Akron Children’s employees agreed to accept the COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 28% declined for now, the hospital said. The hospital’s 6,500 employees have been prioritized for the vaccine, and 3,800 employees were expected to be vaccinated by the end of Saturday.
Cleveland Clinic, parent of Cleveland Clinic Akron General, issued this statement about the health system.
“Prior to receiving vaccine supplies, we surveyed our caregivers and 70% of respondents indicated that they would probably or definitely take the vaccine when it was available to them. We are currently in the process of administering vaccine to health care workers within our health system and have been successful in quickly filling available appointments once supply arrives.”
Akron General spokesman Joe Milicia said whether to get the COVID vaccine is “a personal choice and not mandatory. He added that there are “no plans to reassign caregivers” who decline the vaccine and who work with COVID patients.
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Summa Health spokesman Mike Bernstein also said there was no requirement to get the vaccine for employees and no plans to reassign workers.
Bernstein did not have any data indicating how many eligible health care workers would agree to be vaccinated.
“We have vaccinated approximately 4,400 people with several hundred more scheduled in the coming days,” Bernstein said Friday. “I can’t give you a decline rate as people continue to schedule appointments on a regular basis.”
Western Reserve Hospital spokesman Mark Bosko said in an email that employees are not required to get the vaccine.
Beacon Journal staff reporter Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or [email protected]. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ To see her most recent stories and columns, go to www.tinyurl.com/bettylinfisher
