Hospital workers getting vaccines

Oct. 18 deadline looms in 2 weeks

More than 300 health care workers at the North Olympic Peninsula’s three public hospitals remained unvaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday.

Today is the last day for employees at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, Forks Community Hospital and Jefferson Healthcare hospital in Port Townsend to receive a second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, leaving employees the requisite two weeks to reach full immunization by Oct. 18.

The Oct. 18 deadline was set by Gov. Jay Inslee in August as a condition of employment for healthcare workers, state employees and workers in educational settings.

They can also receive exemptions “because of a disability or if the requirement to do so conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs, practice or observance,” in which case they must adhere to safety protocols to continue working, according to Inslee’s mandate.

State agencies, school districts and healthcare facilities that employ exempted workers “must, to the extent permitted by law, require an individual who receives an accommodation to take COVID-19 safety measures that are consistent with the recommendations of the state Department of Health for the setting in which the individual works,” according to the order.

“There may be continued or additional safety requirements for employees who are granted accommodations,” according to the governor’s office.

More than 690 hospital workers were unvaccinated at the three hospitals as of July 26 under policies that made immunization optional.

“Monday is the last day to get vaccinated,” Jennifer Burkhardt, Olympic Medical Center legal counsel-human resources director, said late last week.

“Theoretically, someone could ask for an exemption between [today] and the 18th,” she added.

“The Oct. 4 deadline is important, there’s no question, but it’s not the end-all, be-all.

“An employee could still seek an exemption for the two weeks in between; they could still start the vaccination process.”

OMC, the largest employer in Clallam or Jefferson counties, has 1,650 employees, 15 percent of whom — 247 medical and nonmedical staff — are not vaccinated.

About 91 percent of nurses and 93 percent of doctors at OMC were vaccinated as of July 26, a number that has increased since July 26 but was unavailable Friday, Burkhardt said.

Also unavailable Friday was the number of medical and religious exemptions applied for by employees that will allow them to continue being unvaccinated and work in a healthcare setting.

Jefferson Healthcare hospital has 800 employees, 6.7 percent of whom — 54 employees — are not vaccinated, spokesperson Amy Yaley said Friday in an email.

Among 701 non-medical staff at Jefferson Healthcare, 20 have been granted exemptions, seven have begun the vaccination process and 20 have unknown status, Yaley said.

Among medical staff, four will be exempted. The status of three was unknown as of Friday, Yaley said.

Unless employees provide acceptable proof of being fully vaccinated to the hospital’s employee health office by Oct. 5, they cannot work at Jefferson Healthcare after Oct. 18 without an exemption, she said.

“We are very pleased with our employee vaccination rate and the efforts our employees have made to be compliant with the governor’s vaccination mandate,” Caitlin Harrison, chief human resources officer, said in the email.

“We have made every effort to contact those who we don’t know their vaccination status, including personal phone calls, certified letters and of course emails. Jefferson Healthcare does not want to lose employees as a result of the Proclamation, but will have little choice if employees do not comply.”

Forks Community Hospital CEO Heidi Anderson would not release the number of hospital employees Friday who are vaccinated and who are exempted, saying Friday in an email, “we are at 98 percent compliance with the mandate as of [Friday].”

The hospital has 309 employees. Anderson said the 98 percent compliance total includes employees who have been vaccinated, received their first shots or received an exemption.

She declined to comment on what percentage of medical and non-medical employees have been vaccinated.

“I will not be dividing by staff,” she said in an email.

“As for exemptions, that is protected employee health information and I will not be disclosing that either,” she said.

“Employees not compliant will have to be terminated per [Inslee’s] mandate.”

Burkhardt said OMC administrators will gain a better idea of how many employees are seeking exemptions and how many are vaccinated as Oct. 18 approaches.

“Hopefully, we won’t have any employees departing,” she said Sunday.

Approval of medical exemptions requires documentation from a doctor or advanced care practitioner.

Burkhardt said accommodations for exempted employees could include daily or weekly testing for the coronavirus.

She said the hospital will work with employees who have started the exemption or vaccination process and have not completed it by Oct. 18, allowing them to take paid-time off, for example, and not lose their jobs, but they will be prohibited from working at the hospital after that date, she said.

The mandate applies to workers, on-site volunteers and contractors for state agencies, and to those who work in educational settings, healthcare settings, and who provide personal healthcare services.

Healthcare settings include long-term acute and residential care facilities, physician and dental offices, behavioral health facilities, and massage therapy offices, including where massage is administered.

Educational settings include all public, private and charter schools, and all multiple-household child care programs including at YMCAs and Boys & Girls clubs.

Violators of Inslee’s order may be subject to criminal penalties.

________

Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

The Peninsula Crisis Response Team responded with two armored vehicles on Tuesday when a 37-year-old Sequim man barricaded himself in a residence in the 200 block of Village Lane in Sequim. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)
Man barricaded with rifle arrested

Suspect had fired shots in direction of deputies, sheriff says

An interior view of the 12-passenger, all-electric hydrofoil ferry before it made a demonstration run on Port Townsend Bay on Saturday. Standing in the aisle is David Tyler, the co-founder and managing director of Artemis Technologies, the designer and builder of the carbon fiber boat. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Demonstration provides glimpse of potential for ferry service

Battery-powered hydrofoil could open water travel

Electronic edition of newspaper set for Thursday holiday

Peninsula Daily News will have an electronic edition only… Continue reading

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her mother, Rachel Shidler of Port Angeles, during Saturday’s Summertide celebration in Webster’s Woods sculpture park at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center. The event, which marks the beginning of the summer season, featured food, music, crafts and other activities for youths and adults. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Summertide festival

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her… Continue reading

Law enforcement agencies to participate in Torch Run

Clallam County law enforcement agencies will participate in the… Continue reading

Crews contain wildland fire near Fisher Cove Road

Crews from Clallam County Fire District 2 quickly contained… Continue reading

Crescent School senior Audrey Gales, right, looks at the homemade regalia worn by fellow senior Hayden Horn on Saturday. Gales had a handmade Native American cap ready for her graduation. Seventeen Crescent students graduated during traditional ceremonies in the school gym. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Crescent graduation

Crescent School senior Audrey Gales, right, looks at the homemade regalia worn… Continue reading

Pertussis cases see 25-fold increase statewide in 2024

The state Department of Health reported an increase in pertussis… Continue reading

Frank Lowenstein was hired as the Dungeness River Nature Center’s executive director in September 2024. (Frank Lowenstein)
River center director dismissed

Board is looking for candidate to fill role

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading

A demonstrator carrying an American flag walks the sidewalk in front of the Clallam County Courthouse on Saturday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Demonstrators march at courthouse

A demonstrator carrying an American flag walks the sidewalk in front of… Continue reading

Port Angeles High School twin graduates Kaylie Mast, left, and Kendall Mast, communicate with their friends by text while waiting for the start of the 2025 graduation parade on Friday. The parade began at Ediz Hook and culminated with a formal ceremony Friday evening at Port Angeles Civic Field. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Graduation parade

Port Angeles High School twin graduates Kaylie Mast, left, and Kendall Mast,… Continue reading