Hospital staff, volunteers in our area to be forced to get coronavirus jab

Mary Washington Hospital is the first healthcare provider in our region to force its employees and volunteers to get a coronavirus vaccine.

Employees, medical staff, and volunteers at the Fredericksburg and Stafford campuses must be vaccinated by October 31, the hospital announced, saying the vaccines are safe and effective at preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

• “We have a responsibility to provide a safe work environment for our Associates, medical staff, and volunteers while protecting our patients from harm,” says Mike McDermott, Mary Washington Healthcare CEO, in a press release.
• The hospital also has a policy requiring workers to get a flu vaccination each year.
• Late last year, the FDA granted the coronavirus vaccination emergency authorization, which is considered an experimental treatment.

The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association backed up the decision and issued its own statement supporting forced vaccinations for healthcare workers in the state.

• PLN is interested in speaking with affected healthcare workers, so please email us.

Those who work at other hospitals in our region, including Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (Woodbridge) and UVA Prince William (Manassas) and Haymarket medical centers, are not forced to get the jab.

• “We strongly encourage our team members as well as all community members who are eligible and able to get vaccinated,” said Sentara spokeswoman Susan Bahorich. “Sentara Healthcare will continue to do its part in educating and vaccinating our employees and the communities we serve. Sentara continues to follow all safety protocols, including masking in clinical settings, to keep our staff and patients safe.”
  

Coronavirus cases are on the rise in Virginia. However, hospitalizations and deaths have not spiked, according to the most recent information from the Virginia Department of Health.

• The state’s coronavirus dashboard was not working properly at the time of this post, so we’ll update this post with the latest numbers as soon as the dashboard is working again.

Federal employees are also being forced to get a vaccination, which prompted lawmakers to weigh in on the matter.

• “The only way to end this pandemic is for people to continue to get vaccinated. Federal employees serve on the frontlines of this pandemic, and we must ensure their safety and the safety of those they serve,” penned Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Fairfax, Prince William)
  
• “Although I have personally been vaccinated and regularly encourage those I represent to get vaccinated as well, I fundamentally disagree with forcibly injecting America’s public servants. Our government was founded to secure the individual liberties of all. We should instead continue educating the public that the COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective,” said Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Prince William, Stafford)

In addition to calling for the forced vaccination of federal employees, President Biden has called to add the coronavirus vaccination to a list of other required jabs for U.S. military service members, called on people to vaccinate more children and to offer more cash (up to $100 per person) to get the vaccination.

The president is expected to address the nation today on more mitigation efforts underway to slow the spread of the coronavirus.