At the final deadline for workers from the Guelph General Hospital (GGH) to submit their proof of vaccination, a total of 13 staff members have decided to opt out of the mandatory vaccine policy initiated by the hospital.
These employees, who represent less than one per cent of the hospital’s 1,653 staff members, have been on unpaid leave since Oct. 12 and are subject to facing disciplinary action up to and including termination.
This means 99.3 per cent of the hospitals' staff are in compliance with the mandatory vaccine policy.
On Oct. 12 the hospital reported 31 staff members had yet to report and submit their proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
Perry Hagerman, senior communications specialist at Guelph General Hospital said on Tuesday, the final date of the deadline, the hospital was committed to working with the staff until the last moment as the current number of staff opting-out of the mandatory vaccination policy could change.
On Tuesday the number of staff on unpaid leave was 16, that number dropped by the end of the day down to the current 13 confirmed by Hagerman on Wednesday afternoon.
Hagerman said the hospital will be meeting with the 13 staff over the next few days to review their employment status.
GGH offered information to the staff who had yet to receive the vaccine, working with them until the final deadline to and have the staff removed from the unpaid leave of absence and rejoin their employment within the hospital.
The mandatory vaccination policy was announced on Sept. 1, giving hospital staff nearly six weeks until the Oct. 12 deadline to submit their full vaccination receipt or be placed on unpaid leave.
The provincial government's announcement it won’t be mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for hospital workers did not impact the policy decision to do so at Guelph General Hospital.
