CHARLOTTE OBSERVER – Hundreds of Charlotte-area healthcare workers and supporters protested Sunday against Atrium Health’s new coronavirus vaccination policy.
The protest from Freedom Park to Atrium Health – Main was organized to stand against the mandated vaccinations issued for Atrium Health employees.
Atrium Health, one of the biggest healthcare systems in Charlotte, recently announced its employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The hospital system said there’s an urgent need for its employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as the new, more potent delta variant continues to spread locally and throughout the state.
The hospital system said the COVID-19 vaccine should not be viewed any differently than its requirements for employees to get an annual flu shot, as well as be vaccinated for measles, chicken pox and other infectious diseases … READ MORE.
Atrium Health statement:
Atrium Health has a long history of protecting the health of our patients, our teammates and the communities we serve.
With the new and more contagious variants now causing hospitalizations to rise across our region, we are requiring teammates to be vaccinated against the virus – to avoid catching or spreading it to others in our hospitals or other clinical environments.
Most doctors, nurses and other medical professionals are drawn to their profession because they want to help and care for other people – specifically to help them get and stay well and live longer, healthier lives.
The new COVID-19 vaccine requirement is designed to do exactly that, since the science shows that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and continue to save countless lives.
We greatly value all of our teammates who have shown such dedication to our patients, their loved ones and to each other during the pandemic, and we respect the rights of those who have chosen to have their voices heard in a peaceful and civil manner.
Open communication is something we embrace at Atrium Health. We encourage our teammates to share any concerns they may have directly with their leaders if they have questions about our vaccination requirement.
