"Associates who applied for a legitimate medical or religious exemption and the request was denied have a one-month grace period to complete a two-dose vaccine process or receive Johnson & Johnson," said spokesperson Guy Karrick.
Those who qualify for the extension are expected to continue St. Elizabeth's COVID-19 policies: routine weekly testing, monitoring for symptoms on an ongoing basis, masking and complying with any request for random COVID-19 testing to ensure the risk of spread is minimized, Karrick said.
Like other hospital systems, St. Elizabeth did not release the total number of exemptions granted as of Oct. 1. But as of Sept. 13, St. Elizabeth granted 85 requests for either medical exemption or postponement of the vaccine, according to court documents the hospital systems' lawyers filed in response to a challenge to the mandate in federal court. Many of the postponements were due to pregnancy, these records show.
What is unclear is how many, or whether any, hospital employees in the region have resigned or were terminated because of the hospitals' vaccine policies.
At St. Elizabeth, employees were informed they may be able to come back to work if they resign or are fired for failing to fulfill the vaccine requirement.
"Associates who resign or are terminated will be eligible for re-hire if they demonstrate compliance with all employment requirements," Karrick said.
The hospitals and other employers have faced backlash in many forms since announcing their vaccine requirements, including through protests – one of which threatened to shut down local highways last week, although the shutdown didn't materialize – and legal action. Local courts have upheld the hospital systems' vaccine requirements every time, so far.
"Realizing that we are in an unprecedented situation, we rely on science to help us make the best decisions possible in order to keep our employees, clinicians and patients safe," UC Health spokesperson Amanda Nageleisen said, adding that the hospital requires vaccination for other communicable diseases, too. "Science has demonstrated that COVID-19 vaccinations have proven to be safe and effective. Overwhelmingly, they protect people from hospitalization, ICU-level care and death.
"As the region’s adult academic health system, it is our privilege to care for some of the most critically ill patients in our community and it is our responsibility to do all that we can to do so in a safe environment."
None of the systems reached by The Enquirer provided internal documents showing the language of their policies, including exemptions.
Hospital system officials said their primary concern is for patients' and employees' safety.
"Many of the patients that Cincinnati Children’s cares for are too young to be eligible for vaccination at this time," the medical center's public statement says, "so the medical center is committed to doing all we can to help reduce virus transmission and significant illness related to COVID.
"Safety is our foundational responsibility," Cincinnati Children's officials said. "We believe the best way to keep our patients, families, and employees safe amid the pandemic is through vaccination and by following precautions such as masking, distancing, hand hygiene and self-screening."
