Workers at Connecticut long-term care facilities now find themselves in the middle of a conflict between the state and a suspended doctor accused of freely handing COVID-19 vaccine and mask exemptions without actually reviewing documentation.
The state’s public health commissioner on Monday sent a memo to providers asking them to turn over any exemption signed by physician Sue McIntosh, M.D., as part of an investigation into the accusations, the CT Mirror reported. The memo applies to regular employees at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, as well as consultants, contractors and volunteers who were granted exemptions by the physician.
Connecticut implemented a vaccine mandate that required long-term care employees and vendors to at least have their first dose by Sept. 7 or their communities could face $20,000 per day in civil penalties.
The information must be submitted by Oct. 6, according to Matthew Barrett, president and CEO of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities. It was unclear, however, how many long-term care workers received exemptions via McIntosh.
“I have no firsthand knowledge about the complaint that was made against the physician, and I really have no information … on how many instances that occurred,” Barrett told the Mirror.
A decision on the physician’s license will wait until a hearing Tuesday (Oct. 5), according to the report.
