Northern Light AR Gould Enforces Maine Governor Vaccine Mandate

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) -Northern Light AR Gould has started to remove employees from the schedule who have refused to comply with the Governor’s vaccination mandate. Corey Bouchard learns more

Dr. Jay Reynolds , the Senior Physician Executive at AR Gould says “For some employees that told us they are not going to be getting vaccinated, we are making plans now to fill their jobs so they won’t be a vacancy "

Northern Light AR Gould Hospital in Presque Isle has started the process of removing employees from the schedule who refuse to get vaccinated. Registered Nurse Stephanie Grandy is one of the employees who received a letter.

Stephanie Grandy, a Registered Nurse says “I was handed a letter and I was told that I have seven days that im being taken off the schedule immediately and that I have seven days to reconsider getting the shot or I will be officially terminated on the 31st of August”

AR Gould announced on August 3rd that they would be requiring all employees to be vaccinated six weeks after a vaccine was approved by the FDA, However they changed their policy after Governor Mills unveiled her mandate saying that all healthcare workers would need to be fully vaccinated by October 1st .

Greg LaFrancois , the President of AR Gould adds “we’ve aligned our plan with the states plan because we want to be compliant with the state and so it’s all in line with our intent and so I think we’re on track.

The difference between AR Gould’s original plan and the Governors mandate is that the State’s Plan doesn’t allow for religious exemptions due to a 2019 law

Grandy “We both submitted our religious exemptions before the governor made her announcement and then after the governor made her announcement that no religious exemptions would be accepted, we reached out, I received a letter saying they were not going to accept my non-medical exemption.

With even a small percentage of healthcare workers leaving the industry, it could effect services in an already short staffed environment.

Reynolds” I hope it will effect it as little as possible, you are correct that we are starting out with a healthcare worker shortage nationally, We understand peoples rights to choose and we will do our very best to continue all the services that we can and we will and our plan is to continue on serving the patients of northern maine.

In order to be considered fully vaccinated by October 1st, healthcare workers have to receive their final vaccination no later than September 17th.

Corey Bouchard, Newssource 8

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