One southwestern Ontario hospital is considering hiring unvaccinated nurses. Will local hospitals do the same?

As hospitals across Ontario battle a brutal ‘tridemic,’ one hospital is considering hiring unvaccinated health-care workers to help ease staffing shortages.

Following the closure of its emergency departments, South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC), says the health network is conducting a review of its COVID-19 vaccination policy.

SBGHC appears to be the first health network in Ontario to consider abandoning the vaccine mandate.

However, hospitals in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent have no plans to end its staff vaccine mandate.

Officials at Erie Shores Health Care say its vaccine policy “will remain place for the foreseeable future.”

Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) pointed out vaccination mandates for health care workers are not new, and have been in place in Ontario hospitals for several decades.

“In Ontario, the Public Hospitals Act already requires vaccinations and proof of immunity at the time of hire/appointment for 17 conditions, including measles, rubella, varicella and tuberculosis. At the end of the day, there is no reason to treat the COVID-19 vaccine any differently,” said Fannie Vavoulis, CKHA director of communications.

“CKHA believes that COVID-19 vaccination policies within Ontario’s hospitals should remain in place as our sector grapples with the aftermath of the most serious health crisis and civil emergency in our province’s history. Health care workers deserve to feel safe and to deliver patient care in an environment that requires the highest level of protection available against COVID-19.”

Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) responded with a similar tone, noting 98.5 per cent of its staff have complied with its vaccination policy.

“Our Board of Directors unanimously decided on our policy on the recommendations of an unanimous decision from the WRH Medical Advisory Committee, made up of all clinical physician/dentists and chiefs of departments,” said WRH spokesperson Steve Erwin.