A Houston hospital has suspended 178 staff employees who have refused to follow the hospital's mandate for a COVID vaccination.

According to an NBC News report, the Houston Methodist hospital has mandated its employees to be fully vaccinated by Monday, June 7.

Almost 25,000 staff members of the Houston hospital have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of the hospital's vaccination requirement announced in April.

But the 178 unvaccinated employees, who did not get the vaccine due to religious or medical exemptions, were suspended without pay, including the 27 people who are only partially vaccinated.

Houston Methodist's president, Dr. Marc Boom, said that he wished the number could be zero. However, he noted that a small number of individuals have decided not to put their patients first.

There were 285 unvaccinated employees who received medical or religious exemptions, while 332 more were granted deferrals.

Boom said that science proves that vaccines are not only safe but necessary for the fight against COVID-19. The hospital's top official noted that they are 100 percent compliant with their COVID vaccine mandate.

He added that the Houston Methodist is the first hospital system in the country to achieve the said goal for the benefit of its patient.

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Houston Hospital Suspended Its Employees

One of the employees, Amanda Rivera, said she feels betrayed a little bit, USA Today reported. Rivera, an emergency room nurse, said it was crazy during the pandemic.

She said the Houston hospital was over capacity with patients and they were short-staffed. So for the hospital to do this now, Rivera said it is like "a slap in the face."

Rivera also told KPRC that aside from being suspended, she is also facing termination if she refuses to comply. She said she feels like "they kind of bullied us into this little corner, like you have to do it or you don't have a job."

Meanwhile, the Houston hospital had granted vaccinated workers a $500 bonus in March, while the shots would not be voluntary for workers indefinitely.

The policy had also caused a court challenge by a group of unvaccinated workers, claiming that they are being used as human guinea pigs in a complaint filed by Houston-based lawyer and conservative activist Jared Woodfill, CBS News reported.

Houston Methodist said in a statement recently that it is legal for health care institutions to mandate vaccines, the same as what they have done with the flu vaccine since 2009.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the federal government is not mandating vaccines. However, some health care workers or essential employees, or local government employees may be required to be vaccinated as a matter of state.

Boom said that several other major health care centers have followed suit and have announced their own vaccine mandates.

Health Care System

Hospital employees across the nation are risking their lives tending to the sick during the pandemic. Some of the country's largest hospital networks and public hospitals have shown staff vaccination rates, varying from 51 percent to 91 percent.

Indiana University Health announced last week that it would require its 36,000 employees for a COVID vaccination by September. They said that the mandate is a safe and effective way to protect the patients and the community.

IU Health said in a statement that requiring vaccinations for health care employees is not new or unprecedented. Colleges and universities also require COVID vaccinations for the coming school year, while nursing homes also require a shot of the vaccines.

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