Unvaccinated staff at the Ottawa Hospital will be placed on unpaid leave on Nov. 1
Doctors, nurses and staff at the Ottawa Hospital have 36 days to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or face an unpaid suspension.
In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, the Ottawa Hospital says all staff, medical staff and learners who are not fully vaccinated on Nov. 1 will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence.
On Aug. 24, the Ottawa Hospital announced all staff working in the hospital environment would need to have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 7, and their second dose by Oct. 15.
Ottawa's largest hospital says the hospital has a duty to care for those in need at their most vulnerable time, "that is why everyone in the hospital environment is expected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to mitigate the risk of getting COVID-19."
"To ensure the safety of our entire team and our patients and families, beginning November 1, all staff, medical staff and learners will be required to have been fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment and/or credentialing at The Ottawa Hospital," said the Ottawa Hospital in a statement to CTV News Ottawa on Friday.
"Those who are not fully vaccinated (or do not have an approved medical and/or other exception in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code) will be deemed non-compliant with the COVID-19 vaccine policy and placed on an unpaid leave of absence."
Two weeks ago, the Ottawa Hospital apologized to employees whose names were mistakenly visible on a mass email to unvaccinated staff. The letter was sent to employees who declined the COVID-19 vaccination, and included an invitation to complete an educational module about COVID-19 vaccination.
The hospital did not confirm how many staff members were affected, but a source told CTV News Ottawa there were 391 names on the list.
The Kingston Health Sciences Centre has placed 136 employees on a two-week, unpaid leave for failing to comply with the hospital's COVID-19 vaccination policy.
The policy requires all staff, physicians and learners to provide proof of having received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, or a documented medical reason for not being vaccinated, by Sept. 22.
Ninety-five per cent of employees at the Kingston Health Sciences Centre met the first dose requirement, while fewer than 10 employees have been granted a medical exemption.
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Ted Raymond and Colton Praill
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10,000 Zantac lawsuits in U.S.: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.