Mixed reactions around Bay Area to President Biden’s vaccine mandates

TAMPA, Fla. - Hospital workers were the first to have access to the vaccine but nearly a year later, many still haven’t been vaccinated. Now, for some 28,000 BayCare employees getting vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer be optional.

The largest hospital network and medical provider in southwest Florida announced the change in policy shortly after President Joe Biden issued new vaccine rules on Thursday.  

Many major employers, BayCare included, say they’ve been hesitant to require vaccines because they don‘t want to risk losing employees who refuse to take the shot at a time when staff and resources are already stretched thin.

BayCare CEO Tommy Inzina says the network’s 14 hospitals have seen record numbers of COVID-19 patients over the last month.

"Since early August until just a few days ago, our number of COVID patients systemwide hovered above 1,100 – nearly 40% more than the last peak in the summer of 2020, before COVID vaccines were available. The burden on our team is tremendous," Inzina said in a release.

MORE: Biden announces vaccine mandate for employers with more than 100 workers

Inzina says the company has strongly encouraged employees to get vaccinated for the better part of a year but, frustratingly, 44% of their staff are still unvaccinated.  With the new mandate, however, they won’t have a choice to remain unvaccinated and employed by BayCare.

"We have learned repeatedly during this pandemic, we must be flexible and adapt as circumstances require. We will work to implement this mandate on the timeline the government prescribes and simultaneously ensure quality health care for our community," said Inzina.

READ: Florida healthcare providers, companies to face vaccination requirement

Earlier this summer, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital became the only major hospital in the Bay Area to require its staff of around 3,000 to become fully vaccinated. A spokesperson says he was unaware of any employees quitting because of the policy.

Last month, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor announced a vaccine mandate for city employees, the first city in the Bay Area to do so.

The mandate requires all city employees to be vaccinated, unless they show proof of COVID-19 antibodies. Otherwise, employees will be tested weekly and wear masks while at work. Tampa Police Union leadership has accepted the terms but rank and file members are in process of voting on them.

READ: New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations slowly declining

Governor Ron DeSantis, who’s spoken out against vaccine mandates for months, was quick to criticize the president’s mandate and hinted legal action could soon follow.

"The more and more this has become coercive where people threaten mandates and firing and business consequences, the more it does that -- I think -- the more people it alienates," said DeSantis from an appearance at the Pasco County Health Department Thursday. "I don’t think it actually helps to get people to actually do it. I do not believe that people should lose their jobs over this issue."

PREVIOUS: Tampa becomes first Bay Area city to mandate COVID-19 vaccine for employees

While President Biden has not given a compliance date for his new mandate, city of Tampa employees are required to be fully vaccinated by September 30.

Later today, two groups plan to protest the mayor’s mandate outside Tampa City Hall. Back the Blue and Blue Thunder Bikers will meet at 4 p.m. to demonstrate.

"20 years ago, our First Responders were fighting against foreign enemies (9/11). Today, they find themselves battling with domestic enemies," organizers said in their release.