Hospital wants only vaccinated workers in contact with vulnerable patients

The Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem wants only workers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in contact with vulnerable patients, NOS reported.

“We will, of course, follow the law which says that our plan is not possible. I have much empathy for my people, but I am also worried that patients will avoid the hospital again”, hospital director Hans Schoo said.

He called for the health ministry to institute a law that would make it possible for employers to demand that healthcare workers handling vulnerable patients be vaccinated against Covid-19. The law would concern for example the departments of oncology, infectious disease, renal dialysis and the ICU.

Such legislation has been heavily debated. Opponents claimed that vaccination registration is a violation of the privacy law and employers cannot demand that their employees get vaccinated. Supporters said that the right to privacy is not valid in this case because it endangers the lives of vulnerable people.

“I wanted to speak with my staff before and will not force anyone to get vaccinated but the result can easily be that we will have to look for a different job spot for someone who really does not want this”, Schoo said.

The director claimed that they receive many questions from patients wondering if the entire hospital staff has been vaccinated. “We say that they can safely come to us because we work with protection gear, but some want full safety.” Around 90 percent of the staff at the Rijnstate have been vaccinated.

A survey by the AWVN earlier this week showed that 70 percent of employers are in favor of having the right to know if their employees are vaccinated.