WORCESTER, Mass. — UMass Memorial Health fired nearly 200 unvaccinated employees on the December 1 deadline.
First reported to the Worcester Business Journal, Dr. Andrew Karson, the health care provider’s chief medical officer, said that number is 1.5% of its 15,000-person workforce.
“So far, there has been minimal impact to operations, and we anticipate there will be minimal impact,” Dr. Karson said.
UMass Memorial announced in August it would put a vaccine mandate in place for staff effective November 1. That was the date that employees or caregivers needed to have at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Karson said the medical center held information sessions where employees could connect with a clinician and ask questions and get additional details about the available vaccines.
Those employees who still remained unvaccinated were placed on unpaid leave effective Nov.15. According to Karson, several hundred people were impacted.
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