Niagara Health is pausing its vaccination mandate as the organization deals with staff shortages.
Officials say when the COVID-19 vaccine program was launched in October, the Omicron variant was not anticipated.
They say given the intensity of the fifth wave of the pandemic, Niagara Health’s Executive Team has made the decision to pause implementation of the program.
“We remain committed to a fully vaccinated workforce at our hospital, and we will proceed with the implementation at a later time to be determined,” says President and CEO Lynn Guerriero.
There have been no job losses at the hospital as a result of Niagara Health’s mandatory policy.
Niagara Health runs a Long-Term Care Home in Welland and has followed the mandatory vaccination directive from the Ministry of Long-Term Care, which has resulted in four staff being terminated from the home.
Those who are unvaccinated will continue to be required to participate in regular antigen testing.
Niagara Health will close its Urgent Care Centre in Fort Erie tonight at 11 o'clock to make more staff available to work at other emergency departments.
Hundreds of hospital employees are sick with the virus, or are in isolation.