MIDLAND, Texas — February 14 is the deadline for healthcare workers at Midland Memorial Hospital to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or to have an exemption approved.
"We have a total of around 200 employees that are not vaccinated or have not submitted an exemption, medical or religious, we expect to see some movement on that in the next few weeks," said Stephen Bowerman, Vice President of Midland Memorial Hospital.
The message from the hospital comes from a supreme court ruling that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid are allowed to require vaccinations for the hospitals they support. If staff doesn't comply there will be consequences
"If by February 14 we don't have your vaccine documentation or exception, you will be placed on unpaid leave for up to 30 days," said Mindy Hamm, Legal Counsel for the hospital.
There are two types of exemptions you can receive: medical, which is very strict and must adhere to CDC guidelines, or a religious exception, which is less strict.
"On the religious exception it is very broad, there's a form employees have to fill out, I think we've approved over 200 this point," said Bowerman.
After employees fill out a form for religious exemption, it goes before a committee to approve or deny. Political views do not count as a religious exemption.
"Responses in the exemption request that speak just to purely political reasons, for example, 'I don't think the government should impose this upon me,' those are things in the guidance that we are seeing and are bound by are saying we cannot grant an exception purely on political reasons," said Hamm.
The reinstatement of the vaccine requirement has some of the local health leaders worried.
"We are definitely concerned with losing staff so that's why we're trying to work with our workforce to allow exemptions, medical or religious and following the letter of the law, we certainly want to comply with the mandate. There are certain consequences if we don't," said Bowerman
Another important date to keep in mind for hospital workers is March 14th. That's when they are required to have a second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.