Houston Methodist employees have until June 7 to get COVID-19 vaccine or they’re fired – KHOU.com

As of Friday, the hospital said 89% of employees have been vaccinated. Theyre telling everyone else they must get the vaccine by June 7 in order to keep their job.

HOUSTON Some employees at Houston Methodist are upset over the hospitals mandatory COVID-19 vaccine rule, saying they want more time.

As of Friday, the hospital said 89 percent of employees have been vaccinated, and theyre telling everyone else they must get the vaccine by June 7 in order to keep their jobs.

Its a decision Jennifer Bridges never thought shed have to make: get the COVID-19 vaccine or lose her job.

Its not fair to be forced to inject something that were not comfortable with," Bridges said.

I think our rights as human beings is more important than keeping that job. If I am blacklisted, whatever it takes. I will go find another form of employment," Bridges said.

As a registered nurse at Houston Methodist, shes one of thousands of employees being told to get the vaccine by the hospital, or come June 7, she could be terminated.

What theyre doing on June 7, is youre suspended for two weeks and if you do not comply, you are terminated," Bridges said.

The hospital says its the same protocol as with the flu vaccine which was made a requirement back in 2009.

CEO Dr. Marc Boom calls the COVID-19 vaccine rule their opportunity to keep leading medicine," and says by doing this, they are helping to stop the spread of this deadly virus. He says it is the employees obligation to keep their patients safe.

But Bridges says shes not alone in her concerns. Since shes gone public, she says hundreds of employees have reached out to her, and they feel the same.

Basically, theyre either going to quit, get fired, and some have reached out to me literally crying, saying theyre going to hold off until the last day and take that shot against their will because they have to feed their family," Bridges said.

She says all theyre asking for is more time.

Once the research is done in a couple of years, its fully FDA approved, then I am sure we will all line up and take it. Just not yet. Let us have more time," Bridges said.

But the hospital says that June 7 deadline is firm, and the vaccines have been shown to be very safe.

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Houston Methodist employees have until June 7 to get COVID-19 vaccine or they're fired - KHOU.com