UnityPoint CEO Clay Holderman sent out another video to staff about the company’s decision to require COVID vaccinations for all staff. UnityPoint is allowing employees to apply for religious or medical exemptions.
Holderman told staff in the video it was a “loud weekend” after the company announced its decision.
“A lot of you have expressed your opinions,” Holderman said. “You may be surprised, but overall, we’ve seen about a three-to-one ratio of positive feedback, and people thanking us for issuing this requirement for our workforce.”
Holderman shared a letter received from a nurse who works at one of the company’s hospitals. The nurse wrote that she supports the requirement.
“I am sick to death of people screaming about their rights to choose in regard to this vaccine,” the letter said. “I have felt like my life and my safety don’t matter. Their right to swing their arm ends when their hand hits my face. It’s the same with vaccinations. Their right to not be vaccinated does not override my right to stay safe.”
Dr. Dave Williams, Chief Clinical Officer of UnityPoint, said the “environment” has changed dramatically throughout the country at at UnityPoint health the past five to six weeks.
He added that the Delta variant is particularly harmful to children.
“We need to get serious,” he said. “We need to protect our children, we need to protect our team members, we need to protect all of you and we need to do it now.”
Williams said he wishes they could wait 5-10 years to see any “deleterious, potential side effects.”
“We don’t have that time,” he said. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel to get out of the COVID pandemic and that light is the vaccine.”
Employees must receive at least one dose of the vaccine by Oct. 1 — a date that is rapidly approaching.
