V.I. Nurses Union Files Restraining Order Against Territorial Hospital Board and Both Hospitals to Block Vaccine Mandate

The V.I. State Nurses Association (VISNA), which represents nurses in the territory has filed a restraining order against the territorial hospital board and both hospitals to block the mandatory vaccine policy established earlier this month.

The August 13 filing in the V.I. Superior Court in the St. Thomas-St. John District follows multiple protests from nurses in both districts that called for the board and hospitals to abandon the policy and instead give nurses a choice to get tested weekly. None of the hospitals have budged on their stance, and Governor Albert Bryan said he supports the mandates.

The mandatory vaccine policy was established by the Territorial Hospital Board, named the Virgin Islands Government Hospital Facilities Corporation, on August 6, and it calls for medical staff to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by Sept. 24 or face termination.

A portion of the vaccine policy document reads, "Colleagues who are not able to get vaccinated for strongly held religious beliefs or disability will be required to apply for an exemption. The request will then be evaluated by the hospitals' Human Resources arms. Those who desire exemption must apply by August 19."

Additionally, those who receive exemption will be required to test regularly on a schedule set by hospitals' leadership, though it will be no less than once a week.

"We know you may still have questions about the vaccine. Your hospital leadership will be holding educational sessions in the coming days to listen [to] and answer your questions," reads the territorial board document, even as it had already issued the mandate.

The board had estimated that approximately 55 percent of JFL and Schneider Regional Medical Center staff had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

In the TRO, VISNA said it is seeking relief because the mandate violates due process and other covenants established in the collective bargaining agreement.