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Local hospitals: Vax or get tested weekly

Healthcare groups explain policies for employees
October 8, 2021

Most of the larger healthcare groups in Delaware are not requiring a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of continued employment.

Beebe Healthcare, Bayhealth and TidalHealth are not forcing their employees to be vaccinated and instead are allowing those who wish to opt out to undergo weekly testing, as required by the state as of Sept. 30.

ChristianaCare, the largest healthcare system in the state, established a vaccine mandate this summer, requiring all employees to receive at least one dose of the two-shot vaccines or the single dose of Johnson & Johnson by Sept. 21. Those who did not comply by the deadline – about 150 – had their employment terminated.

Dr. David Tam, president and CEO of Beebe, said his group is not going with an ultimatum approach.

“Some of our caregivers have made a personal healthcare choice to not obtain the COVID vaccine,” he said in an email Oct. 6. “We continue to work with them daily to provide the latest information. In my opinion, they agree with the science, but they are making their own decision about their health.”

Beebe’s policy does not require an employee to provide a reason for not getting the vaccine, said Beebe spokesperson Ryan Marshall. If it is a religious or medical exemption, it is reviewed and approved or denied, he said.

Unvaccinated employees, Tam said, will submit to mandatory testing and continued strict adherence to masking and the use of other PPE. Testing and reporting is to be done on employees’ own time and at their own expense, he said.

“As the president and CEO of Beebe, I have made the decision to not lay down a termination ultimatum at this time,” Tam said. “Beebe believes in the vaccine. And Beebe also believes in our team of caring, compassionate caregivers who have already sacrificed so much to care for our unique community.”

He said now is the time to raise those caregivers up as much as possible during a difficult period when healthcare workers are so stressed and exhausted that many are ready to leave a profession they love.

Tam’s comments can be read in full in the Viewpoints section on page 7 of the Friday, Oct. 8 edition of the Cape Gazette or online here.

Beebe does not release data on the number of employees vaccinated, both to maintain privacy for staff and because the number is constantly changing, Marshall said. However, he said Beebe continues to boast a high number.

“Looking at the total [Delaware] population eligible with one dose (60.7 percent), Beebe is well above,” he said. “Again, we have said how proud we are of our team because our rate is high. We can also share this. If you look at 18 and older with one dose (79 percent per CDC), our number distances itself from that as well.”

Beebe is incentivizing its employees to get the COVID vaccine. Team members who received both the flu and COVID vaccines before Sept. 30 received eight hours of paid time off. In addition, the two vaccines were added to the annual wellness incentive on health insurance premiums for 2022, meaning they get a discount, Marshall said.

All volunteers at Beebe are required to be vaccinated, and all new employees will be required to be vaccinated as of Nov. 1. All team members continue to wear PPE, including gowns, N-95 masks, gloves and goggles, where appropriate, practice hand hygiene and adhere to many other safety protocols that kept patients and visitors safe pre-vaccine, Tam said.

Bayhealth, with hospitals in Milford and Dover, and other facilities throughout Kent and Sussex counties, is following the same model as Beebe.

“We highly encourage all of our team members to be vaccinated, but do not require Bayhealth staff to take the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Mike Metzing, vice president of corporate support services. “Bayhealth remains committed to maintaining a safe environment for our patients, staff and visitors just as we have done throughout the pandemic.”

Bayhealth continues to make vaccines available to all employees on a daily basis, he said.

“We require all unvaccinated employees be tested weekly and abide by CDC guidelines including wearing required PPE, socially distancing, and practicing infection-prevention standards, including hand hygiene practices, at all times,” Metzing said. “As part of the global response to COVID-19, Bayhealth has implemented and maintained rigorous infection-prevention protocols, meeting or exceeding those required by state and federal agencies. Those time-tested and proven protocols continue to ensure Bayhealth is a safe place to receive care.”

Bayhealth representatives declined to provide the percentage of employees who are vaccinated.

“The majority of our employees have chosen to be vaccinated,” Metzing said. “The percentage changes regularly based on our departures and new hires. What’s important to know is that at Bayhealth, most of our employees have chosen to be vaccinated, and those who have elected not to receive the vaccine are required to be tested weekly and must adhere to the strictest infection-prevention measures as required by the CDC and other authorities with jurisdiction.”

TidalHealth, which operates Nanticoke Hospital in Seaford as well as Peninsula Regional medical center in Salisbury, Md., has opted to go with the vaccine or weekly testing model as well.

“At this time, we are not making COVID-19 vaccinations a condition of employment at either our Seaford or Salisbury hospital,” said Roger A. Follebout Jr., director of strategic communications. “However, in line with vaccination mandates from Governors Hogan and Carney, we are requiring all unvaccinated team members at both hospitals to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing.”

Like Beebe and Bayhealth, TidalHealth does not release the total number or percentage of employees who have been vaccinated.

At ChristianaCare, which recently announced it would be opening a facility on Route 1 near Rehoboth Beach, all current and new employees are required to be vaccinated.

“As we anticipated, a small number of caregivers chose not to be vaccinated and have left the organization,” said Dr. Janice E. Nevin, president and CEO of ChristianaCare. “Separations for non-compliance with our vaccination policy resulted in the loss of approximately 150 employees, the equivalent of fewer than 90 full-time employees.”

Approximately 200 caregivers have received religious or medical accommodations, Nevin said. In addition to masking, these caregivers will be required to undergo regular COVID-19 testing, she said.

“We thank everyone who has made the decision to be vaccinated,” Nevin said. “Getting vaccinated is a service to others – especially our healthcare workers, who continue to battle COVID-19 daily as we meet the healthcare needs of our community. Vaccination continues to be our path not only to protect each other – but to ultimately reduce the spread of COVID-19 and end this pandemic.”

 

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