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Houston Methodist has told all 26,000 employees that they need to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by June 7, or they'll be fired, a spokesperson confirmed to 番茄社区app.

In phase 1 of its mandate, the health system required management and new employees to get vaccinated. Now, employees, including physicians, will need to get their shots or secure a religious or medical exemption from its human resources department.

Those who don't meet the deadline are being placed on a 2-week suspension, followed by termination if they can't meet the vaccine mandate by the suspension's end.

The hospital will "absolutely not" scrap the mandate, despite public protest of the new policy, the spokesperson told 番茄社区app.

"As health care workers we must do everything possible to keep our patients safe and at the center of everything we do," CEO Marc L. Boom, MD, wrote in an email to staff on Friday, which was shared with 番茄社区app. "Science has proven that the COVID-19 vaccines are very safe and very effective. ... By choosing to be vaccinated, you are leaders -- showing our colleagues in health care what must be done."

Houston Methodist became the first healthcare system -- according to Boom -- to mandate the vaccines on March 31, asking management to get vaccinated first to set an example. All new employees were also required to vaccinate at that time, the spokesperson told Medpage Today.

A hospital policy document says all employees are now "highly encouraged to receive their first vaccination of a 2-dose vaccine no later than May 7, 2021 to ensure compliance with complete vaccination by June 7."

At least a few employees have refused to follow the policy, however, citing personal liberties and fears of vaccine side effects.

Two managers have left the system since the management policy was enacted, Boom wrote, adding: "By doing so, they are putting themselves before the safety of our patients, which is not consistent with our culture."

Jennifer Bridges, RN, has spoken publicly against the vaccination-or-termination policy and started a to counter it. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 5,500 people had signed it.

"If you want the vaccine that is great but it should be your choice. It should not be forced into your body if you are not comfortable with it! Many people feel it is too new and not enough time or research yet to be deemed perfectly safe," she wrote.

Bridges has cared for COVID patients and her father is in a nursing home, according to a

"We'll wear N-95s, face shields. We'll do what the CDC says is perfectly safe. Just let us be comfortable because once you inject it you can't take it back out," she told the TV station. "People want to provide for their families. They don't want to lose their job."

In addition, hospital administrator Bob Nevens refused to get vaccinated and expects to be fired, he wrote in and told the . Nevens has been the system's corporate risk director for 10 years, he wrote.

"My position is not clinical, and I have worked from home for the past year because of covid," he wrote. "My right to protect myself from unknown side effects of these vaccines has been placed below the optics of 'Leading Medicine.'"

System leaders have "made a costly decision in hopes of staying ahead of HB1687," Nevens said, citing a that would prohibit employers from taking action against employees because of their vaccine status. The bill was filed Feb. 8 and sent to a committee March 9.

About 90% of the system's workforce is now vaccinated, the spokesperson said. The system offered employees a $500 vaccination bonus and offered the shots free on-site, allowing employees to also secure them on their own. Houston Methodist is primarily using the Pfizer vaccine.

Employees have already been required to get the flu shot annually for more than a decade, the spokesperson said.

Elsewhere in Houston, also plans to mandate the COVID vaccine, and Boom's email.

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