UNC Health lost 135 employees, less than 1%, to vaccine mandate
UNC Health terminated 55 employees earlier this month for not complying with the company's COVID-19 vaccine policy.
Another 25 employees resigned because of the mandate, according to a UNC spokesperson. Overall, 135 UNC Health employees have resigned and cited the vaccine mandate as the reason.
The 30,000 employees of the health system had until Nov. 2 to be fully vaccinated or receive a religious or medical exemption, or they would be fired.
As of Nov. 2, around 1,260 employees received exemptions for the vaccine, a spokesperson said.
In September, UNC Health employees told WRAL News they were concerned about the safety of the vaccines, their quick roll-out and potential long-term side effects.
But UNC Health officials said that the vaccines were safe and effective and that almost every COVID-19 patient on a ventilator at UNC Medical Center during September wasn't vaccinated.
"UNC Health regrets losing any teammates, but we believe that a mandatory vaccine program is in the best interest of public health and is essential for the safety of our patients, teammates and communities," a UNC spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday night.
Overall, UNC Health officials said there has been high compliance with the vaccine mandate. Nearly 99.4% of the health system's 30,000 employees have been vaccinated or received exemptions.
Other health systems in the Triangle, including Duke Health and WakeMed, have also required employees to be vaccinated or be fired.
