New England hospital stops scheduling employees who are not vaccinated

VAINCCE MANDATES FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. JOE:YC BUT SOME WORKERS STILL DON’T WANT TGEO T IT. CAROLINE REINWALD SITS DOWN WITH TWO MILWAUKEE NURSES, TO DISCUSS Y WHNOT. >>HESE T NURSES ARE UNVACCINATED AGAINST COVID BY CHOE.IC >> I'M AN RN AT ST. LUKES. >> OTHER PEOPLE GIVING ME SNLYAR LOOKS. I WAS EVEN GETTING SEOM FROM SUPERVISORS. >> CALEB AND DEVIN HART WORK AT AURORA ST. LUKE’S. THEY’RE PART OF A GWIRONG NUMBER OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS STATEWIDE PROTESTING VACCINE MANDATES IN HOSPITS.AL CALEB SAYS BEING FORCED TO TAKE A VACCINE IS AGAINSTIS H RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. HIS WIFE, DEVIN, THINKS BECAUSE SH E’S ALREADY HAD COVID, HER IMMUNITY IS SUFFICIENT. >> THERE'S STILL A RISK WHETHER WE GET IT OR NOT REGARDLESS, WE’LL STILL BE TAKING CAROF PATIENTSHE T SAME SO IT SHOULD BE A CHOICE. >> RIGHT. >> THE COUPLE POIN TTSO BREAKTHROUGH CASES AND THE RARE OCCURRENCES OF MYOCARDITIS, A SEVERE INFLAMMATION OFHE T HEART. THE FDA HAS CONFIRMED NATIONWIDE, JUST OVE76R 0 MYOCARDITIS CASES LINKED TO THE COVID VACCINE. OUT OF THE MORE THAN 350 MILLION DOSES ADMINISTER.ED >> YOU KNOW, IT IT MIGHT BE RARE, BUT WE’RE SEEING MORE AND MORE CASES. AND AS WE’RE REQUIRING AND THEY’RE STARTING TO MANDATE MORE PEOPLE TO GET THIS, WE’RE NOT SURE OF HOW MANY NUMBERS WELL -- WE WILL GET. >> 169 MILLION AMERICANS ARE FULLY VACCINATED AGAINST COVID. 50 MEDICAL GROUPS HAVE CALDLE FOR MANDATORY VACCINATIO IN HOSPITALS, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND AMERICAN NURSING ASSOCIATION. STILL, VACCINATION RATES AT EAAR HOSPITAL GROUPS SUCH AS FRDTOEERT, ASCENSION AND AURORA ARE HOVERING JUSATT WK OR -- OR UNDER 70%. OFFICIALS AT AURORA SAY NATURALLY OCCUINRRG ANTIBODIES DO NOT PROVIDE AS STRONG OF AN IMMUNITY TO COVIASD THE VACCINE DOES. THEY ADD THAT SOME PATIENTS ARE DEMANDING TO BE TREATED BY VACCATINED HEALTHCARE MEMBERS ONLY. >> PATIENTS ARE CONCERNED. THEY COME INTO THE HOSPITAL. THEY'RE VULNERABLE AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE IMMUNO-SUPPRESDSE SO THEY VOICE THEIR CONCERN ABOUT HAVING VACCINATED HETHAL CARE PROVIDERS. >> DEVIN SAYS SHE’S LOST RESPECT FROM PATIENTS, COLLEAGUES,VEN E FAMILY OVER HER CHOICE. >> I TALK TO GOD EVERY DAY AND PRAY FOR HIM TO GIVE ME THE STRENGTH. FOR SOMEONE TO SAY IM TNO -- I NOT COMPASSIONATE FOR AM MAKING A CHOICE THAT'S BEST I FEEL FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY, IT’S SHAMEFUL FOR PEOPLE TO SAY. I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEF MY O FAMILY IS GOING TO SEE THIS, BUT DITOES HU.RT THE LOSE PEOPLE WHO, SORRY. TO LOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONES WHO WILL STAND BY ANNOUNR:CE -- STANDBY YOU NO MATTER WHAT. >> MILWAUKEE AREA HOSPITALS HAVE SET OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER AS DEADLINES FOR STAFF TO BE FULLY VACCINATED. WHATINATED. IS THE CONSEQUENCE FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL ULTIMATELY REFUSE TO GET THE VACCINE? >> WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OPTIO.NS WE HAVE A PROCESS FOR RELIGIOUS AND MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS TTHA INDIVIDUALS CAN FOLLOW, BUT EVENTUALLY IF INDIVIDUALS DEDECI NOT TO BECEOM VACCINATED, WE WILL PART COMPANY AND THEY WILL NO LONGER BE WORKING AT ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH. >> CALEB AND DEVIN BOTSAYH NURSING IS THEIR CALLING. AND THAT THEY’LL CONTINUE SHOWING UP TWOO RK UNTIL THEY ASK THEM TO LEAVE. >> I HAVE EVERYTHING TO LOSE BECAUSE OF THIS MANDATION. EVERYTHING WE'VE WORKED FOR, OUR ENTIRE CAREERS EVERYTHING I'VE WORKED TOWARDS IN MY LIFE. SO IF THAT TELLS PEOPLE ANYTHING IT TELLS PEOPLE HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO ME AND HOW MU ICH'M WILLING TO STAND IN MY BELFSIE >> IN MILWAUKEE, CAROLINE REINWALD, WISN 12 NEWS. JOYCE: HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE TYPICALLY REQUIRED TO GET OTHER VACCINES, SUCH AS FLU SHOTS. THE COUPLE IN OUSTR ORY TOLD CAROLINE THEY HAVE COMPLIED WITH OTHER MAND

Video above: Some nurses willing to pay hefty price to not get COVID-19 vaccineA hospital in Presque Isle, Maine, has started to remove employees from the schedule who have refused to comply with Gov. Janet Mills' mandate that health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19.For some employees that told us they are not going to be getting vaccinated, we are making plans now to fill their jobs so they won’t be a vacancy," said Dr. Jay Reynolds, Senior Physician Executive at Northern Light AR Gould.Registered Nurse Stephanie Grandy is one of the affected employees. “I was handed a letter and I was told that I have seven days that I'm being taken off the schedule immediately and that I have seven days to reconsider getting the shot or I will be officially terminated on the 31st of August," said Grandy.Northern Light announced in early August that all employees would be required to be vaccinated six weeks after a vaccine got full approval from the FDA. They later changed their policy to align with the governor's mandate that all health care workers be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1.Grandy said she submitted a religious exemption under the hospital's original plan, but the state's plan does not allow those exemptions due to a 2019 law. Grandy said she got a letter saying her non-medical exemption would not be granted.In order to be considered fully vaccinated by Oct. 1, health care workers have to receive their final vaccination no later than Sept. 17.

Video above: Some nurses willing to pay hefty price to not get COVID-19 vaccine

A hospital in Presque Isle, Maine, has started to remove employees from the schedule who have refused to comply with Gov. Janet Mills' mandate that health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19.

For some employees that told us they are not going to be getting vaccinated, we are making plans now to fill their jobs so they won’t be a vacancy," said Dr. Jay Reynolds, Senior Physician Executive at Northern Light AR Gould.

Registered Nurse Stephanie Grandy is one of the affected employees. “I was handed a letter and I was told that I have seven days that I'm being taken off the schedule immediately and that I have seven days to reconsider getting the shot or I will be officially terminated on the 31st of August," said Grandy.

Northern Light announced in early August that all employees would be required to be vaccinated six weeks after a vaccine got full approval from the FDA. They later changed their policy to align with the governor's mandate that all health care workers be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1.

Grandy said she submitted a religious exemption under the hospital's original plan, but the state's plan does not allow those exemptions due to a 2019 law. Grandy said she got a letter saying her non-medical exemption would not be granted.

In order to be considered fully vaccinated by Oct. 1, health care workers have to receive their final vaccination no later than Sept. 17.

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