Ontario healthcare provider suspends staff COVID-19 vaccination

Citing the “urgent need” to respond to the wave of infections caused by Omicron variants, Niagara Health, which serves residents of 12 municipalities in Ontario, is a mandatory COVID for healthcare professionals. -19 The vaccination program has been suspended.

of statement Niagara Health, published on January 6, said Omicron was not expected when the compulsory vaccination program was ordered in October 2021. About the response.

Lin Gueriero, President and Chief Executive Officer of Niagara Health, said in a news release:

Authorities said the mandate policy did not result in unemployment for any of the hospital staff.However, the following Mandatory vaccination directive Four workers have been dismissed from their position in a Niagara Health-operated care home in Welland by the State Department of Long-term Care. The directive also requires that all qualified staff in the long-term care facility receive a third booster shot by January 28.

Niagara Health has reiterated that all new staff and doctors have been required to be vaccinated since September 7, 2021, but those who have not been vaccinated “follow regular antigen testing. You need to participate. ”

All staff and physicians should be screened before shifting, following infection prevention and control guidelines.

of Released on January 4th, Niagara Health announced that it will temporarily close the Fort Erie Emergency Medical Center from January 6 to allow emergency trained doctors and nurses to be relocated to three emergency departments (EDs). .. The three EDs see an average of 400 patients daily.

Bunny Alexander, chair of the Niagara Health Board of Directors, said the decision was “not neglected” and “addressed staff shortages and provided essential services to the large number of patients in our community in need of emergency care. A temporary closure was needed to maintain it. ”

Alexander said other hospitals in Ontario had taken similar steps during the pandemic.

Since December 21, 2021, 146 Niagara Health staff have tested positive for COVID-19 and 354 staff are currently in self-quarantine.

Omicron variants are highly contagious and lead to more hospitalizations than their predecessors, Evidence has shown that it does not infect cells deep in the lungs, causing less severe illness. Recent research It was published in the scientific journal Nature.

This finding risks hospitalization by Omicron 80 percent Lower than the delta variant.

South Africa has relaxed some of the COVID-19 restrictions after the State Ministry of Health reported: 29.7% decrease for new In the week ending December 25, 2021, Omicron peaked without a surge in deaths.