Atascadero State Hospital reports 74-percent of staff vaccinated for COVID-19 

Future of some unvaccinated employees is yet to be determined

– Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero, which is a secure psychiatric hospital, reports that it is following the California Department of Public Health’s State Public Health Officer Order requiring COVID-19 vaccination.

The health order established a deadline for healthcare and hospital employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or obtain an exemption by Sept. 30. According to the hospital, about 74-percent of employees are currently vaccinated.

Fewer than eleven employees that normally have direct patient contact are currently redirected to other duties, because they have not yet complied with the health order or have obtained an exemption, according to hospital spokesperson Ken August. However, all of those employees are partially vaccinated and can return to patient care after receiving their second dose.

Another group of fewer than eleven employees have yet to comply with the health order and are normally assigned to patient care duties, but this group is still on scheduled vacation or on regular days off, August said.

“The resolution of their status is still to be determined,” stated hospital spokesperson Ken August.

The health order went out on Aug. 5 in response to the Delta variant of COVID-19, which is known to be highly transmissible and may possibly cause more severe illness due to an increased viral load.

“The Delta variant is currently the most common variant causing new infections in California,” stated the health order.

Other state hospitals have warned of firing employees who refuse vaccination.