Kaiser Permanente’s staff members must all be vaccinated by Sept. 30

SANTA CRUZ >> Kaiser Permanente has announced that it will require all doctors, nurses and staff members that it employs to get vaccinated.

Kaiser Vice President Michelle Gaskill-Hames said that Northern California employees and group physicians are, on average, as vaccinated as their national counterparts — approximately 78% and 95% respectively. The goal of the mandate is to increase that number to the point of a fully vaccinated workforce by Sept. 30.

“This step to come forward with the mandate will protect health care workers (as well) as patients and be a step for the community (to reach) herd immunity,” Gaskill Hames said.

The vice president said that Kaiser is working closely with its labor unions, which also are committed to ensuring that employees remain safe.

Gaskill-Hames said that the about 240,000 impacted employees were not told about the mandate before the public announcement. She expects questions, especially from those who seek out medical and religious exemptions on a case-by-case basis. Overall, though, she foresees support from Kaiser staff.

“Workers are tired and they are disappointed that we are having a fourth surge,” Gaskill-Hames said, adding that the surge beginning to impact intensive care units includes not just COVID-19 patients but patients who are suffering from deferred care. “We believe this was mostly preventable with vaccinations. This is a step we need to take to end the pandemic.”

Beginning Aug. 23, doctors, nurses and other staff members who are not vaccinated will be subject to biweekly testing. Employees who refuse to be vaccinated will be let go, but the vice president said she hopes this will be a positive call to action for the unvaccinated.

“It’s a race between the vaccines and the variants,” Gaskill-Hames said.