First vaccine mandate in SW Florida for healthcare staff as COVID-19 cases quadruple at hospitals

Facing a quadrupling of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Southwest Florida, particularly among the unvaccinated, the largest hospital operator in Collier County will require next month that newly hired employees, contractors and volunteers be inoculated against the novel coronavirus.

NCH Healthcare System's announcement this week — the first of its kind in Southwest Florida and among a handful such mandates in Florida — comes as the nation's largest hospital lobby, the American Hospital Association, endorsed the idea of vaccine mandates for health care personnel.

Meanwhile, the Lee Health hospital system, which has also seen a fourfold increase in COVID-19 patients in the last month, has reactivated its pandemic management team to track cases across all campuses and sites and to make sure there are enough resources to handle a continuing influx of patients. Nearly 90% of cases involve people who have not been vaccinated.

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NCH's requirement, which does not affect existing employees or non-staff physicians, takes effect Aug. 16.

"The health of our staff and our patients is a top priority for NCH," spokesman Shawn McConnell wrote in an emailed statement. "In addition to all the other safety measures we implemented early in the pandemic, this policy takes a step further in safeguarding the wellbeing of our medical team, our patients, and visitors."

When asked why the policy applies only to new hires and not its 8,500 existing employees, McConnell said in a separate written statement:

"Early on, our staff demonstrated exceptional adherence to safety protocols that prevented the spread of the virus within our hospitals and physician’s offices, even before the existence of a vaccine. Our staff continues to demonstrate this same dedication to the safety of their coworkers and our patients today."

Lee County-based Lee Health, Southwest Florida's dominant hospital system, does not require employee vaccinations for COVID-19. Administrators said Thursday that the 13,500-employee, public organization has no immediate plans to do so, though administrators are having ongoing "conversations" about it.

Both health care systems, which operate a combined six of the nine acute-care hospitals in Lee and Collier counties, have seen a spike in people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the last month as more contagious variants continue to spread and the rate of vaccinations slows.

NCH reported Wednesday it was treating 59 patients for COVID-19 in its hospitals. On June 30, that number was 13. One-fifth of those currently hospitalized are in intensive care units, said Ilia Echevarria, a nurse and head of NCH's COVID-19 response team.

The average age of all COVID-19 patients at NCH hospitals is 55, though they are treating patients in their 20s, Echevarria said. 

"We have seen a sharp rise in the number of patients hospitalized for the treatment of COVID-19 over the past four weeks," she said. "While we are seeing some cases of those that are vaccinated, the majority — over 90% — of those individuals who have not been vaccinated are the ones coming in sick and requiring hospitalization."

As of Friday, Lee Health reported 128 COVID-19 hospitalizations. One month ago, it counted 31 such patients. Of those now hospitalized, 89% were unvaccinated, said Armando Llechu, Lee Health's chief officer of hospital operations. Their median age is 58. 

More than a quarter of them are receiving treatment in the ICU, Llechu said. Those hospitalized patients who had been vaccinated are largely much older and have other health conditions that leave them with compromised immune systems, he said.

Lee Health can't test to determine if its patients have the much more infectious Delta variant, but medical staff believe its spread, as well as a relaxation of pandemic-era social distancing and mask-wearing, is driving the increase, he said.

"We're seeing some infection rates that are consistent with what we had at the peak of the pandemic last summer," Llechu said. Lee Health's highest patient population with COVID-19 topped 300 about this time last year. "While we can't say with any certainty that that is what it is, many of us believe that to be the case."

Physicians Regional Healthcare System, which operates two Naples-based hospitals, had 47 COVID-19 patients on Friday. A month ago it was nine, said spokeswoman Brittney Thoman.

"We remain prepared to care for all patients who need medical attention and encourage anyone experiencing a medical emergency to seek care promptly," Thoman added.

Lehigh Regional Medical Center in Lehigh Acres has nine COVID-19 patients. The hospital did not provide a count from a month ago.

Both hospital systems said they have no immediate plans to require employees to be vaccinated.

The NCH vaccination policy for new hires is similar to its longstanding requirement for flu vaccinations, in that it allows for exceptions for any employee with "a sincerely held religious belief" against vaccines.

Vaccinated employees under this policy who experience side effects, contract COVID-19 or have a child under 12 who gets the virus will be allowed paid time off, independent of the amount of time off they're already allowed.

"As we continue to strongly encourage vaccination among our current workforce, the mandatory vaccination requirement for new hires will help us to increase immunity among our workforce, safeguarding them and our patients against COVID," McConnell said.

In other signs that the pandemic is still far from over in Southwest Florida, Cape Coral has re-opened its Curative testing site at 1020 Cultural Park Blvd. next to the Police Department building and across from City Hall.

The City of Marco Island also announced Thursday the closure of summer camp at Mackle Park until July 30. This follows the confirmation of five COVID-19 cases among camp participants, according to that city's Parks and Recreation Department.

With more COVID-19 hospitalizations, DeSantis urges vaccinations

Southwest Florida's experience reflects that of hospitals throughout the state. According to the Johns Hopkins University pandemic tracker, the state's seven-day average for hospitalizations has more than doubled in the last month to more than 4,000.

About 48% of Florida's population has been fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That puts Florida at 24th among the states. Florida also trails the District of Columbia (54.1%) and Puerto Rico (59.2%), according to the CDC.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has resisted calls for vaccine mandates and so-called "vaccine passports" that some businesses, including the cruise industry, would like to see in place.

But this week DeSantis, who has been vaccinated, strongly urged Floridians to get their shots.

"If you are vaccinated, fully vaccinated, the chance of you getting seriously ill or dying from COVID is effectively zero," DeSantis said. "If you look at the people that are being admitted to the hospitals, over 95% of them are either not fully vaccinated or not vaccinated at all. So these vaccines are saving lives."

Critics of the governor's response

DeSantis has faced sharp criticism from Democrats and some in the medical profession because he has staunchly opposed the continuation of mask mandates. A reporter asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about DeSantis’ opposition to mask mandates during a news briefing Thursday.

Psaki said President Joe Biden’s administration “would have concern about any step that doesn’t abide by public health guidelines.”

And, during a virtual news conference Thursday, some Florida doctors hammered DeSantis' response and linked it to the growing numbers of hospitalizations. They also called him out for his statements last month that Florida had chosen "freedom over Faucism," a reference to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical adviser.

“DeSantis has been preoccupied with fundraising and dividing Floridians, not taking care of their health,” Frederick Southwick, an infectious disease specialist in Gainesville, said during the news conference organized by the Committee to Protect Health Care. “Now the Delta variant is spreading like wildfire, threatening lives and threatening to once again overwhelm hospitals.”

Vaccinations still plentiful in Southwest Florida

Meanwhile, Southwest Florida's public health agencies are continuing to urge non-vaccinated residents to get inoculated. Current regulations now allow anyone older than 12 to get their shots.

While the Florida Department of Health has ended its mass vaccination sites, the vaccines are still available through the department for free. They are also widely available at retail pharmacies and walk-in clinics.

To find a site, click here.

Lee Health has also increased its pleas for parents to get their children shots before the start of the school year. It is offering free vaccinations at Gulf Coast Medical Center in south Fort Myers between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida is also providing mobile vaccinations clinics at various sites throughout the area. For more information, visit www.leehealth.org.

NCH is similarly providing free vaccinations. Its vaccine clinic is accepting anyone 12 and over at its site, located at 2450 Goodlette Road.

Those between the ages of 12 and 18 must be accompanied by guardians at vaccine sites.

— The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

Frank Gluck is a watchdog reporter with The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. Connect with him at fgluck@news-press.com or on Twitter: @FrankGluck