Wednesday was the deadline for Bronson Hospital employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and the seasonal flu. Bronson announced in a statement that 7,808 employees, or 93.3 percent of its workforce, were fully vaccinated as of Wednesday's deadline.
But what about the remaining members of the staff who are not fully vaccinated?
“There are a number of people who have begun, but not yet completed, and so they get a short grace period to complete that process,” said Dr. Aaron Lane-Davies, a pediatric hospitalist and the chief of quality for the Bronson Medical Group. “But we’re doing well in ensuring that patients are safe, our teams are safe, and that the community can have confidence that they are being cared for by people who are protected.”
Employees who have started the process have until January 15 to either be fully vaccinated or get an approved exemption. That includes the seasonal flu vaccine, which Lane-Davies said is not a new requirement for Bronson employees.
“We’ve had a minimum requirement for influenza for more than ten years and we are treating the COVID-19 vaccine in the same way.” Lane-Davies says cases of influenza are on the rise, which is further taxing an already stressed healthcare system.
For those who aren’t fully vaccinated or granted an approved exemption, Bronson spokesman Jay Newmarch said in a separate email to WMUK that, "Any employees who are not in compliance will be deemed to have resigned from Bronson employment or medical staff privileges by January 15, 2022.”