Idaho Hospitals Relax Their Vaccine Mandate

Facing a worker shortage and rising Covid rates, two Idaho hospitals have suspended their vaccination mandate for all employees. The vaccinate or terminate order was declared by Saint Luke's, Saint Alphonsus, and Primary Health last Spring. Their announcement has led to the development of the group Take A Stand Now. The group has organized rallies, protests, lobbied politicians, and bought billboards to raise awareness and provoke Idaho lawmakers to reconvene the legislature.  

KIVI reports that Saint Luke's and Saint Alphonsus have halted their vaccination requirement during the current Covid spike and workforce shortage. There is no word from either hospital when the requirement will be reinstated.  

Take a Stand Now applauded the decision in a release while referencing the current 'Crisis Standards of Care.'

"While we support the temporary halt to mandatory COVID 19 vaccines for all medical staff at St. Al's and St. Luke's we believe they should remove the mandate permanently," said TASN spokesperson, Victoria Stump.

 Stump said it made absolutely no sense medically or logistically to mandate vaccines or fire employees when there is a clear shortage of medical staff for Idaho medical facilities; and the hospitals are hiring traveling nurses not required to have vaccines.

"The Governor has had to call in the national guard to provide additional medical personnel and now the Idaho Medical Reserve Corp is asking anyone, even those with zero medical experience, to volunteer at our hospitals and clinics," Stump added.

"Adding the traveling nurses without the requirement of vaccines adds insult to injury when it comes to mandates in Idaho," Stump concluded.