Data shows that around 62% of nursing home workers across the country have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. Many Portland hospital employees have also turned down the vaccine.
PORTLAND, Ore. – While thousands of people are still waiting for the vaccine, there is a large group that won’t get it if it’s offered.
According to a report From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 62% of nursing home workers across the country have not received the vaccine.
The CDC examined more than 11,000 senior facilities that housed a vaccination clinic between mid-December and mid-January. While 78% of residents got the shot, only 37.5% of employees did.
Melissa Unger, executive director of SEIO 503, which represents 73,000 home nurses and aides across Oregon, said there are several reasons she believes workers refused the shot.
Unger said this was a young workforce with suspicion of the government. Many nursing home workers have low wages and difficult relationships with their employers.
CONNECTED: How do I get the COVID vaccine in Oregon?
Unger also said a large percentage of nursing home workers are colored people who are historically vaccine reluctant.
“There are many reasons. These are some of the first people to get it. A lot of these people had COVID because of massive outbreaks. They wonder if they need it. So there are just many factors that make it happen. ” I think we really come into play, ”said Unger, who believes most nursing home workers will get the shot at some point.
It’s not just nursing home workers. Some hospital workers are also rejecting or rejecting the COVID vaccine.
KGW Investigates inquired about the major Portland hospital systems and found:
- Of the 27,000 eligible Providence Health employees, 30% turned it down, said they would wait or did not respond to the offer.
- 32% of Salem Health’s 4,5000 employees rejected the vaccine at the time.
An OHSU spokesman said they didn’t have many who refused to refuse the vaccine. Kaiser and Legacy Health officials told KGW that they do not track how many employees have turned down the vaccine.
Some workers have raised concerns about side effects or wanted to give the shot to someone more vulnerable than reasons they waited.
“It’s not a great idea for the people bathed in COVID how to oppose it because they can be spreaders themselves,” said Dr. Mauricio Heilbronn, Deputy Chief of Staff at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. California.
Dr. Heilbronn urges health care professionals and everyone else to get it for themselves, for their families, and achieve long-awaited herd immunity across the country.
“It’s been like a nightmare science fiction horror movie for the past two months, three months. Anything we can do to keep people out of the hospital, we will do. And the vaccine will do that. “
CONNECTED: What you need to know about COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday in Oregon
