CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Although there is no requirement for visitors to show proof of vaccination for entering a hospital in West Virginia, some lawmakers support legislation pending in Charleston which would etch that into law.
House Bill 4012 would prohibit requiring anyone to show proof of a vaccination before they could enter into a public building.. Jim Kaufman, President of the West Virginia Hospital Association indicated on MetroNews Talkline it’s not a bill they are particularly thrilled about.
“We want people to come in and visit loved ones who are in the hospital, family and friends are part of the care team. At the same time, we want to make sure everybody coming into the hospital is safe, not just for our immune compromised patients, but for our staff as well,” he said during a Tuesday appearance on MetroNews Talkline.
Governor Justice and others have talked with CMS about flexibility on the deadline for requiring hospital or healthcare workers be vaccinated. Jim Kaufman, WV @WVHospitals President & CEO, talks about the Hospital Association’s position to @HoppyKercheval. https://t.co/yCFQ3nDJuy pic.twitter.com/i20WiiCW7t
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) February 8, 2022
Kaufman said to the best of his knowledge there are no hospitals in West Virginia which require vaccination proof for entering . There are such cases in other states which has prompted the proposal in Charleston, but Kaufman urged more understanding and less anger over the issue.
“I do think there’s been a lot out on social media criticizing health care facilities around the country for various efforts. I would just ask everybody to understand we’re trying to balance a very difficulty situation and all of our staff are tired and exhausted. We want to make sure we’re taking care of your loved ones, but at the same time we want to make sure we have the capability to serve the entire community,” he said.
But it’s a different situation with requiring hospital staff to be vaccinated. Currently, all staff at hospitals which accept Medicare or Medicaid patients will need to be vaccinated by February 28th or risk losing their jobs. Some are fighting that mandate as well.