Nearly 100 Unvaccinated Workers at Yale New Haven Health Fired: Officials

Pharmacist Colleen Teevan reconstitutes the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine before having it administered to people at the Hartford Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut, on Jan. 4, 2021. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

Nearly 100 workers at Yale New Haven Health have been fired for refusing to comply with the health system’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, officials confirmed on Monday.

Yale New Haven Health has so far moved to terminate 94 employees, a spokesperson told FOX 61, adding that the figure could change as “we track where each employee is in the process of receiving their first and second vaccination.”

On June 30, Yale New Haven Health, along with other hospital-based health systems in Connecticut, mandated all members of its workforce, including employees, medical staff, volunteers, students, contractors, and traveling staff, to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday as a condition of employment. Exceptions have been made for medical or religious reasons in some cases.

“We continue to work with our employees to provide convenient options for vaccination, as well as education to assist with their decision making,” the spokesperson said, adding that a number of the company’s employees will in the coming weeks become eligible to receive their second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

“As long as they receive that second dose, they will not be terminated and they are not included in the aforementioned number,” the spokesperson added. “We are working with leaders and employees to ensure compliance with our policy in an effort to provide safest environment for patients and staff.”

Associate Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Ohm Deshpande told the New Haven Register that the employees were notified on Monday that they’re “being separated from the organization.”

According to the news outlet, just last week officials expected 225 employees out of more than 28,000 to be terminated for refusing to comply with the requirement.

“I think in the last few days, people either got vaccinated or extremely delayed sent in their proof of vaccination,” Deshpande said, noting that more than 700 employees were granted exemptions.

“Many more applied but not all of them received them,” Deshpande added. "They’re the only ones who will get weekly testing.”

Deshpande said that those who have been fired will be welcomed back “with open arms” if they decide to get their vaccination.

Yale New Haven Health officials say the majority of employees who haven’t complied are in food services, environmental services, and finance departments. 

The Epoch Times has reached out to Yale New Haven Health for comment.