toh

At The Ottawa Hospital, more than 99% of our staff, physicians and residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a hospital, we have a duty to care for those in need at their most vulnerable time. That is why everyone in the hospital environment is expected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to mitigate the risk of getting COVID-19 and becoming a source of transmission to others or becoming very ill.  

Staff who are not fully vaccinated (or do not have an approved medical and/or other exception in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code) are deemed non-compliant with the COVID-19 vaccine policy and have been placed on an unpaid leave of absence. Those who become fully vaccinated will be welcomed back. A total of 186 individuals (full-time, part-time and casual, from a variety of roles throughout the hospital) were deemed non-compliant with the COVID-19 vaccine policy.  

It is essential that we do our part to increase our community vaccination rate above 90 percent, the threshold identified by experts to effectively contain the spread of COVID-19. Hospitals have a moral obligation to lead by setting the highest vaccination standard possible.