Nearly all Windsor Regional Hospital staff are vaccinated but some oppose new policy, says CEO

The president of Windsor Regional Hospitalsaysthe overwhelming majority ofstaff have gotten their COVID-19 shots ahead of a new vaccination policy, but there has been some pushback including from a"small minority" of staff.

"We're not immune to what's going on across the world with respectto anti-vax messages," said president and CEO David Musyj, who confirmed that there are doctors and nursesamong those againstthe policy.

LISTEN: Windsor Regional Hospital CEODavid Musyj joins Windsor Morning

The hospital's vaccination rate was in the 80 per cent range prior to the announcement of the policy on Aug. 3, andcould be higher than 95 per cent right now, Musyj said.

Musyj spoke toCBC Radio's Windsor Morning on Monday, just over a week before the new rules takeeffect.

The policy mandates that all staff and volunteers have until Sept. 22 to get their first dose, or face penalties including atwo-week unpaid leave. Unless they have an approved exemption, they have until Oct. 7 to get their second dose or face termination.

There are two reasons for exemptions: one for an approved medical reasonand one on human rights grounds, claims of which will be reviewed individually.

Similar policies have been set out elsewhere in the province as the delta variant fuels a COVID-19 resurgence.

Last month, Dr. Kieran Moore, the chief medical officer of health for Ontario, issued a directive orderinghospitals to set a vaccination policy.

"The way it looks like across Ontario, is every hospital is moving to the same rules pretty much," Musyj said.

Musyjsaid he expects the move will prompt legal challenges but"it's the right thing to do."

"The concern is keeping people alive, keeping our community alive, keeping our staff safe, keeping our patients safe," he said.