Otero County officials send letters to Gov. Polis – calling for end to health care vaccine mandate
OTERO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Some health care leaders in rural Southern Colorado fear that if the state doesn't change its vaccine mandate for health care workers -- facilities could be forced to shut down.
In August, the Colorado Board of Health voted to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for certain health care workers. However, Otero County says they've already seen several health care workers quit cause of the mandate.
At the beginning of September, elected officials and health officials in Otero County sent eight letters to Governor Jared Polis' office, calling on the Governor to alter or rescind the state's vaccine mandate for health care workers.
“Everyone has their choice either to get it or don't get it,” said Otero County Commissioner Jim Baldwin to 9News. "I don't understand the mandating choice. It should be your choice."
Lynn Crowell with the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center wrote in the letter how the mandate will lead to a staff shortage.
"The mandate that all health care workers be vaccinated has already caused the loss of three nurses and two support personnel at (Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center)," said Crowell. "We anticipate we could lose up to 26 nurses from our emergency room, OB, ICU, and Medical-Surgical units."
Crowell tells KRDO that losing five health care workers has a greater impact in a rural community like Otero County than in a more populated area.
"If we are forced to close our doors, 29 at-risk elderly individuals will need to find placement," said Shayla Van Dyk, an administrator at Cottonwood Ridge Assisted Living.
The Colorado State Board of Health currently requires health care workers in the state to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 30 and to be fully vaccinated by the end of October. Health care workers can apply for religious or health exemptions - but are required to regularly test for COVID.
The mandate was first preceded by a letter from Gov. Polis in August. In the letter, Polis said the mandate is necessary to keep people safe who have little choice when it comes to their presence at health care facilities.
In a statement to KRDO, the Governor's office says they will review the letters sent from Otero County, and could potentially offer staffing support if necessary. However, they will continue to follow the science and do what is best for the most vulnerable.
The vast majority of frontline health care workers are vaccines and are begging their fellow Coloradans to get vaccinated because they are tired, battered, and bruised from taking care of unvaccinated Coloradans suffering from COVID-19. We have the cure to end this pain in the form of a safe and effective vaccine. We want to end the pandemic now and can do that by getting more Coloradans vaccinated.
The Governor's Office
The Governor's office also said under President Biden’s executive order, these workers fall under a federal mandate, and all health care facilities that receive federal Medicare and Medicaid dollars must be fully vaccinated.
The state Board of Health is set to convene again in October to consider the rule requiring vaccinations.
