Mississauga’s hospitals haven’t decided on penalties for staff not fully vaccinated by Oct. 20
Published October 8, 2021 at 5:54 pm
While hospital officials in Mississauga say all staff at the city’s two hospitals must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 20, they haven’t yet said what consequences, if any, will follow for those who don’t comply.
In announcing the mandate earlier, Trillium Health Partners (THP), which oversees Mississauga Hospital, Credit Valley Hospital and Queensway Health Centre (Etobicoke), did not mention any allowance for a regular testing alternative to full vaccination.
Nor did THP officials say what penalty or penalties any hospital staffers not fully vaccinated by the deadline might face.
A THP spokesperson contacted earlier today did not have any updated information regarding any penalties for non-compliance.
Yesterday, Windsor Regional Hospital fired 57 employees and suspended six “professional staff” who failed to get vaccinated by that facility’s Oct. 7 deadline.
Hospital officials there said 4,155 employees and professional staff, or 98.5 per cent of staff, did comply with the COVID-19 vaccine policy.
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The Windsor hospital is among healthcare facilities that went a step further than required by Ontario’s chief medical officer of health.
Dr. Kieran Moore said in August that hospital policies need only require unvaccinated staff to attend an education session on immunization, but he left the door open for facilities to implement stricter consequences.
He said yesterday he’s glad so many healthcare workers have gotten their shots, and that it wasn’t his goal to get anyone fired.
The THP policy took effect Sept. 7 and mandates vaccinations for all staff, professional staff (doctors and nurses), volunteers and others at Mississauga’s two hospitals and the Queensway site.
The mandate excludes those with an approved medical exemption or accommodation.
The policy is being implemented over six weeks, at which point all workers are to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 20.
“As one of the hardest-hit communities during this pandemic, and because of the proven effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, this mandate will ensure the safest possible environment to work and deliver care to the community we serve,” an earlier statement from THP reads.
William Osler Health System, which runs hospitals in Brampton and Etobicoke, announced a similar mandate around the same time.
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