Beginning today, The University of Mississippi Medical Center will no longer allow those who work in the facility to choose between being vaccinated for the coronavirus or routine testing. Dr. Alan Jones is Associate Vice Chancellor of Clinical Affairs.
In an August memo to employees, he wrote “COVID-19 in Mississippi is a raging wildfire but not everyone is helping throw water on the flames in their own backyard.” He continues “We as an institution and as the workforce for the state’s leading health system need to be a leader in this fight.”
Beginning November 1st, students will also be mandated to be vaccinated. Dr. Geri Weiland, President of the Mississippi State Medical Association, says nobody wants a mandate but healthcare workers should want to be vaccinated.
“I find it very hard to believe that someone working in the healthcare industry would not want to vaccinate themselves for their protection, and actually more importantly for the protection of their patients.”
No other hospitals across the state have issued vaccine mandates. Dr. Weiland says a decision to mandate coronavirus vaccines in hospitals could potentially make hiring workers more difficult, especially in rural areas.
“There may be some hesitancy in other hospitals because they’re so short-staffed now, but they may feel making a mandate may make them more short-handed. Again, I do applaud the university for making that move, and I think other hospitals may do that as everything comes off emergency use authorization.”
Health officials say people should not wait until a vaccine is mandatory to get the shot, and say vaccinations are the right thing to do to protect themselves and others.
