North Shore Health employees nearly 100 percent vaccinated

North Shore Health (NSH) and Care Center Administrator Kimber Wraalstad reports that most employees at North Shore Health have been vaccinated.

While most NSH employees received vaccinations to stave off covid, some didn’t. About one dozen NSH workers resisted getting their shots. However, a ruling by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) gave health care workers until December 6, 2021, to get at least their first COVID-19 vaccination, or lose their jobs.

That ruling, since suspended prompted many to get vaccinated. CMS suspended the COVID-19 vaccine order for healthcare workers after two courts called for a pause on the Biden Administration mandate.

“Late on November 30, a federal district court issued a preliminary injunction placing a temporary hold on the enforcement of the CMS vaccine mandate.,” said Wraalstad. “CMS has appealed the injunction, so everything is currently up in the air. Regarding our employees, 100 percent have either been vaccinated or requested a medical or religious exemption. However, there were some individuals who worked very casually who chose to resign rather than respond to our questions about vaccination or exemption. We are still working on the process for the “… individuals who provide care, treatment, or other services for the facility and/or its patients, under contract or other arrangements.”

With the injunction, we have a little more time to obtain information from the various companies who provide goods and services to North Shore Health,” added Wraalstad.

In a memorandum dated December 2, CMS wrote it would not enforce the new rule “regarding vaccination of health care workers or requirements for policies and procedures in certified Medicare/Medicaid providers and suppliers (including nursing facilities, hospitals, dialysis facilities and all other provider types covered by the rule) while there are court-ordered injunctions in place prohibiting enforcement of this provision.”

On November 4, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issued preliminary injunctions against the vaccine mandate given by the CMS.

CMS was requiring all healthcare workers to have at least one COVID-19 shot by December 6-2021 and be fully vaccinated by January 4, 2022.

Both courts cited a lack of authorization from Congress that would be needed to enact the CMS vaccine deadline for healthcare workers. In addition, a similar vaccine mandate issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requiring businesses that employ 100 or more workers to require those employees to be vaccinated by January 4, 2022, was also halted under an emergency stay by the 5th Circuit of Appeals.