Oregon Health Department released details of exceptions to COVID-19 vaccination obligations

(Updated: Added Oregon Nurse Association Statement)

For healthcare, education staff: “Medical exemptions for COVID vaccines are very rare.”

Bend, Oregon (KTVZ)-The Oregon Department of Health seeks exceptions to COVID-19 vaccination from vaccination obligations enforced by Governor Kate Brown on October 18 for medical and school employees. We have announced detailed guidelines.

Medical and religious exemptions Available..

Jessica LeBlanc, chief health officer at Bend’s Mosaic Medical, said Thursday that people seeking to be medically exempt from vaccination obligations may be surprised.

“Medical exemptions for the COVID vaccine are very rare,” Le Blanc said.

LeBlanc said that only those who had a severe anaphylactic reaction on the first dose of the COVID vaccine, or who were allergic to any of the components of the vaccine, would be eligible and few would be able to make a medical exception. Said.

The Oregon Department of Health proves that medical exceptions are supported by documents signed by OHA-specified forms by non-individual health care providers seeking exceptions and that individuals have physical or mental disabilities. I said I needed it. Ability of an individual to receive COVID-19 vaccination based on a particular medical diagnosis. This specifies whether the failure is temporary or permanent.

For religious exceptions, a document defined by OHA and signed by the individual indicating that the individual is requesting an exception from the COVID-19 vaccination requirements based on faithful religious beliefs. Must be backed by. Include a statement explaining how vaccination requirements contradict an individual’s religious compliance, practice, or beliefs.

Many officials fear that COVID-19 vaccination obligations will further affect the employee shortages of affected occupational groups.

Last week, officials from both the Oregon Nurses Association and the local school district said they were afraid to leave before employees had to comply with their mission.

The Redmond Board of Education learned on Wednesday night that seven licensed employees, including teachers, and 17 classified employees, including janitor and bus driver, have resigned. Director Charan Klein said the reasons range from burnout to finding something else to do or “cashing out” in high asset value. He also said he asked the staff to wait until the district and its lawyers could consider the new OHA rules.

LeBlanc says the recent FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine has helped.

“This will help some of those people who may have stood on the fence about their decision to make the decision to get vaccinated,” Le Blanc said.

News Release from Oregon Nurses Association:

Vaccinations required for nurses are now Oregon law: what to do next is important
Oregon Nurse Assn. -08/26/21 2:11 PM

Statement from the Board of Directors of the Oregon Nurses Association

Tualatin, Oregon-The Board of Directors of the Oregon Nurses Association has unanimously approved the following statement regarding Governor Brown’s recent rule changes to enforce compulsory immunization of state health workers.

“We answered the question of whether health care workers need to be vaccinated. Compulsory vaccination against COVID-19 for nurses and other health care workers is now an Oregon law.

ONA is calling on all nurses to be vaccinated by October 18th.^NS Fill out the deadline, or instead, the documents required for exemption from medical or deeply held religious beliefs. Otherwise, unvaccinated nurses could be dismissed when Oregon faces an unprecedented staffing crisis.

Our patients and our community need you more at the bedside than ever before. Science is clear. Vaccinations are safe and effective, and vaccinated nurses and other healthcare professionals act in line with their ethical, clinical and professional responsibilities to their patients.

ONA tells all nurses in Oregon that they are “vaccinated.”

ONA will continue to fight for its members at the negotiating table on the impact of this new mandatory vaccination requirement. This includes fighting to ensure that the right level of PPE is provided, paid leave against the negative effects of vaccination, more (and more substantial) retention and risk wages, and safe staffing. Includes hard work for.

When the nurse and state health systems reach their limits, we must unite in the face of historic failures on the part of the hospital to ensure safe staffing. All nurses know that this staffing crisis has been going on for years. The COVID-19 pandemic simply brought those failures into the limelight.

This current level of crisis has failed to invest in nursing staff, failed to hire and retain experienced nurses, focused on profitability rather than patient outcomes, and at the expense of nurses. Caused by the hospital.

We have a lot to do for our patients and for each other. We have many problems that unite us rather than divide us. Safe staffing, recruitment and retention of nurses, increased number of future nurses, increased salaries to the School of Nursing, iron-covered protection against workplace violence, securing breaks and meal breaks, labor Improvements in conditions and wages. These should be our focus now. “