Officials of both major Rochester health care systems say fewer than one percent of their employees left their jobs because of refusal to get a COVID vaccination.
Dr. Robert Mayo of Rochester Regional Health and Dr. Michael Apostolakas of UR Medicine both say more than 99 percent either got vaccinated or were granted a religious exemption. The others have been placed on unpaid leave, and Dr. Mayo says their numbers are dropping as more people decide to get the shot.
Meanwhile, Dr. Apostolakas says there's some not-so-good news: an upsurge in the numbers of COVID-19 patients who need hospitalization. He says Strong Memorial Hospital has 69 patients hospitalized with COVID, and 153 in all their hospitals. Most were unvaccinated.
Both doctors also say their hospitals are being stressed because area nursing homes have stopped accepting patients, forcing them to keep dozens of patients who would normally be moved out of the hospitals for recovery.