Hospitals care for ill and vulnerable people, and we must do everything possible to keep our patients, staff and physicians safe.
Our mandatory vaccination policy was announced in October 2021 and takes effect today. All staff and physicians who work at Niagara Health are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they have an approved exemption. Mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 is a requirement at the majority of Ontario hospitals. The Province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, has encouraged all healthcare workers as well as all Ontarians to remain up to date in their COVID-19 vaccines, and to receive all doses, including additional doses that are recommended as soon as they are eligible.
Our goal was for everyone who works at Niagara Health to make the choice to get vaccinated and remain a member of our team. We are grateful to the nearly 6,100 people (98.7%) on our team who are vaccinated. We have worked hard over the last several months to provide support by answering COVID-19 questions, educating about vaccine benefits and safety, and offering vaccination clinics on site. Unfortunately, 61 individuals who worked in both clinical and non-clinical areas have chosen not to comply with the policy, and we have ceased their employment with Niagara Health effective today. Plans are in place to minimize any disruption to our services.
Vaccination remains our best defence against COVID-19, and with cases rising again, we encourage everyone to get vaccinated to stay safe and well.
