OLEAN, N.Y. (WKBW) — Olean General Hospital announced its employee COVID-19 vaccination rate between fully and partially vaccinated employees is now at 88% and is "changing by the hour."
Early Friday morning a hospital spokesperson told 7 Eyewitness News the vaccination rate was 86%, by noon Friday the spokesperson said the rate was 88%.
“The number of unvaccinated employees has dropped dramatically and continues to go down every day, so we are hopeful that the impact on operations will be minimal,” said Jill Owens, MD, interim chief medical officer, UAHS. “We are at 86% combining fully and partially vaccinated employees, which changes by the hour, but our target remains 100% vaccination for employees. It’s a fluid situation.”
New York State announced in August that healthcare workers at hospitals and long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, adult care and other congregate care settings, will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday, September 27.
On September 14 a spokesperson for the hospital said its employee COVID-19 vaccination rate was 68% and 11 employees resigned due to the NYS vaccine mandate.
“Olean General Hospital has been in continual preparation for the mandate and pushing aggressively to urge unvaccinated employees to receive the vaccinations. Employees are responding positively. I sincerely thank our dedicated staff for getting vaccinated to protect our patients, colleagues and community,” said LaRowe.
