After Biden’s Vaccine Order, Sarasota Memorial Unsure Of Impact

SARASOTA, FL — After President Joe Biden announced a COVID-19 mandate to vaccinate most health care workers in the United States Thursday, Sarasota Memorial Hospital Health Care System’s president and CEO said the hospital system has no details on how the order could impact its employees yet.

“At this point in time, we don’t have all of the details on exactly how and when the new requirements will be rolled out to health care providers. Once the government’s plans are finalized and we have the opportunity to thoroughly review the new rules, we will develop our own policies accordingly,” David Verinder said in an email to SMH staff Friday.

Since the vaccine became available earlier this year, SMH leaders have encouraged the health care system’s workers — and the larger Sarasota-area community — to get inoculated against the virus.

Verinder said that “widespread vaccination is a critical tool, along with masking and social distancing, to stop the pandemic…As we’ve seen firsthand, the virus is primarily — and severely — impacting those who haven’t been vaccinated.”

Like what you're reading? Invite a friend to subscribe to free Sarasota newsletters and real-time email alerts.

Even with the current surge in cases waning, “hospital remains full of hundreds of seriously ill patients today, most of them unvaccinated, and the threat of future surges remains,” he added. “We support every effort that will prevent future hospitalizations and deaths and ease the enormous strain on the health system and staff.”

Even before Biden’s federal mandate, SMH offered a financial incentive to boost the vaccination rate among its employees.

Sarasota Memorial employees who are fully vaccinated by Oct. 1 will receive a $500 bonus Oct. 21 and are also eligible for a year-end award, usually $500, next year, Verinder said.

As of Friday, about three-quarters of SMH’s more than 7,600 employees and about 90 percent of its 1,000-plus medical staff have been vaccinated.