SAH implements mandatory vaccination policy for new hires

On Tuesday, Sept. 7, the Sault Area Hospital (SAH) will implement a Mandatory Health Care Worker Vaccine Policy that will “require that all new employees, volunteers, physicians, students, medical learners and contractors comply with our new vaccination policy,” a release issued today states.

Proof of full vaccination, or proof of a satisfactory medical exclusion must be provided under the new policy.

Current employees who are not fully vaccinated must participate in regular rapid antigen POC testing and provide confirmation of negative test results, the release says.

Full text of the SAH news release follows:

Sault Area Hospital (SAH) is committed to ensuring a safe environment for our patients, visitors and health care workers. To that end, SAH has updated its current COVID-19 Health Care Worker Management Policy to reflect the latest directive (Directive #6) from the Ministry of Health.

Effective Sept. 7, SAH will implement a Mandatory Health Care Worker Vaccine Policy.

In accordance with Directive #6 from the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario, SAH will require that all new employees, volunteers, physicians, students, medical learners and contractors comply with our new vaccination policy. The new policy requires proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, or proof of a satisfactory medical exclusion by a physician or nurse practitioner. For individuals with medical exclusions, SAH will require that they submit to rapid antigen point of care (POC) testing twice a week.

SAH has excellent vaccination rates with 90 per cent of our employees fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Our new policy requires any current SAH employee who is not yet fully vaccinated to submit to regular rapid antigen POC testing (minimum of twice weekly) and provide verification of the negative test result. In addition to the rapid antigen POC testing requirements, current employees who are not yet fully vaccinated (for any reason other than medical) must also provide proof of completion of an education session approved by SAH, as well as a consultation session with our Occupational Health team.

The addition of mandatory vaccination for health care workers at SAH will further strengthen safety measures to protect our patients, health care workers, and our community. The hospital will continue to monitor vaccination rates and changes in the community, and will reassess the policy in the coming months.

SAH would like to thank our community for their ongoing support of our health care workers as we prepare for the fourth wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

To find out more about SAH, visit here.