Statement from St. Joseph’s Health System
St. Joseph’s Health System and its six-member organizations support the new vaccination policy for healthcare settings announced by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. We appeal to all staff, physicians, learners and volunteers across our member organizations to get fully vaccinated. Those that are exempt on human rights grounds, including medical conditions, will be supported with an accommodation plan.
The benefits of a fully-vaccinated workforce are imperative in healthcare settings where we care for people at their most vulnerable, who may be immunocompromised or not able to be fully-vaccinated, such as children and infants. The health and safety of our workforce is paramount as we continue to confront the challenges that COVID-19 has imposed. The Delta variant is more transmissible and so the risk of outbreak and spread is higher than anything we have seen since this pandemic began.
Two-dose vaccination is the single most impactful tool currently available to protect those we care for and our workforce as we confront the fourth wave.
As healthcare workers we are called to serve and do no harm. We have a responsibility to do everything in our power to create healing spaces that are conducive to high-quality care.
St. Joseph’s Health System supports our member-organizations in all efforts to increase vaccination rates for all staff, physicians, learners and volunteers. This includes requiring all staff, physicians, learners and volunteers to report their vaccination status. In addition, starting September 7, 2021 all new hires, physicians and volunteers across all St. Joseph’s Health System organizations will also be required to be fully vaccinated.
Now is a time to lead and protect the health and safety of our workforce and our community.