Story at a glance
- The Associated Press reports 153 employees either stepped down or were let go Tuesday.
- Earlier this month, the hospital suspended 178 employees for failing to get vaccinated.
- On June 12, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group of employees against the hospital who are fighting the vaccine mandate.
More than 150 employees from the Houston Methodist hospital system who refused to comply with the hospital’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate have resigned or been terminated, according to The Associated Press (AP).
A hospital system spokesperson told the news outlet 153 employees either stepped down or were let go Tuesday.
Houston Methodist became the first major health care system in the U.S. to require the vaccine for workers in April. While nearly 25,000 employees received the vaccine, the hospital suspended 178 employees for failing to get vaccinated by June 7. The employees were suspended for two weeks without pay.
On June 12, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group of employees against the hospital who are fighting the vaccine mandate. The plaintiffs argued the policy was unlawful and forced staffers to receive vaccines that had not gone through the full Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process. The FDA has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use following clinical trials.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes called the lawsuit “frivolous.”
Our country is in a historic fight against the Coronavirus. Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.
“The public’s interest in having a hospital capable of caring for patients during a pandemic far outweighs protecting the vaccination preferences of 116 employees,” Hughes wrote. “The plaintiffs are not just jeopardizing their own health; they are jeopardizing the health of doctors, nurses, support staff, patients and their families.”
The plaintiffs in the case have filed an appeal to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, according to AP.
READ MORE STORIES FROM CHANGING AMERICA
DELTA VARIANT HAS APPARENTLY TRIPLED IN US IN TWO WEEKS
‘WE’LL ALL BE DEAD BY JUNE!’ JARED KUSHNER SCREAMED ABOUT MASK SHORTAGE, ACCORDING TO NEW BOOK
NEW STUDY FINDS HAVING COVID-19 ONCE DOESN’T PROTECT YOU AGAINST GETTING IT AGAIN
CDC SAYS VACCINE LINK TO HEART INFLAMMATION IS STRONGER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
WHO ADVISER ACCUSES CHINA OF ‘MASSIVE’ AND STILL-ACTIVE COVID-19 COVER-UP
Published on Jun 23,2021