FORT THOMAS, Ky. — St. Elizabeth Healthcare is requiring all its workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 1.

The health care facility joins a list of hospitals and health systems in Kentucky, Ohio and across the nation requiring the vaccine for employees.

RELATED: Nearly a dozen Kentucky healthcare providers will require COVID-19 vaccine for workers

In recent weeks, St. Elizabeth has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases and said 100% of their ICU COVID cases are people who are unvaccinated. In addition, cases state-wide have quadrupled from June to July in children who are too young to be vaccinated.

During Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s press conference Thursday, St. Elizabeth CEO Gary Blank talked about the importance of the mandate.

"Our first priority at St. Elizabeth, and I know all the health systems, is the safety of our patients, our visitors and our employees as well as our community,” Blank said. “And vaccines are the best way for us to ensure that at this time. Obviously tough times require tough decisions, and this is one of those."

Beshear also called on private businesses to step up and praised Northern Kentucky University for requiring masks campus-wide.

The governor took another step to incentivize state workers by offering a vacation day if they show proof of vaccination.

Beshear said he won’t rule out another mask mandate if hospitalizations continue to rise.

“If we are going to defeat and not just delay COVID-19, there is one and only one answer,” Beshear said. “That answer is vaccinations. So each decision that we make has to gauge the impact on getting the unvaccinated to take that shot.”

CINCINNATI -- St. Elizabeth Health Care has added a sweet but unusual new feature to its suite of maternity services: Aromatherapy. 

According to patient Leslie Minard, who gave birth to a son Nov. 15, a spritz of lavender essential oil at the right moment during labor can make a genuine difference for the mother.

"The oils they used helped me progress through labor and helped me to relax," she said. 

It might sound strange, but nurse Stephanie Dunn said St. Elizabeth added the service in response to patients' requests. Some mothers-to-be had begun to bring their own essential oils to help them through the birthing process, leading her and coworker Katlyn Devereux to search for a way to integrate it into the St. Elizabeth Birth Place's practices.

"And (we wanted) to do it in a safe way, so all of the oils are evidence-based, proven safe during pregnancy, labor and delivery," she said.

She and Devereux trained to become certified clinical nurse aromatherapists who work with eight essential oils meant to confer different benefits to women in labor. 

For instance, she said, rose targets depression and can help regulate contractions. Mandarin is meant as a wake-up scent to encourage alertness and focus. 

"Our desire is to make this a more enjoyable experience for women to have their babies here at St. Elizabeth," she said.

Leslie Minard's choice, lavender, is a common ingredient in lotions, sprays and soaps intended to encourage relaxation. 

"Something with the scent helps you to unwind and take the moment in and try to enjoy what's coming next for you," she said.