SVMHS President and CEO responds to state vaccine requirement for healthcare workers
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System President and CEO Pete Delgado released a statement showing support for the California Department of Public Health's public health order requiring workers in healthcare settings to get vaccinated.
The CDPH said workers in those settings will need to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.
Delgado said he strongly supports the order and believes it will help prevent more COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.
"Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System strongly supports the state mandate requiring all healthcare workers be vaccinated for COVID-19. This important step builds on our previous policy requiring vaccination for all new hires in our organization. The highly contagious Delta variant has the potential of disproportionately impacting high risk individuals such as healthcare workers and the mandate will help prevent further hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19.
"We know the Delta variant can infect even those who are vaccinated however the scientific data shows vaccination significantly minimizes COVID-19 symptoms and is the only safe and effective way to deal with this pandemic. The state mandate will serve as a valuable tool in helping to protect our healthcare workers and community. We continue to urge everyone eligible for the vaccine to get vaccinated."
SVMHS President/CEO Pete Delgado
The CDPH also issued a second public health order requiring hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities to verify that visitors are fully vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19 within the 72 hours before the visit. The CDPH said it will also update guidance for visitors to other long-term care facilities soon.
