02/08/2022
Hi Team,
So, our protest went reasonably well. The owner and a manager of some sort both came out to meet with us and a reporter and photographer also showed up along with over a dozen of us. Currently the facility is in a “lockdown” status, which apparently means that while staff and delivery people come and go, the residents are not allowed to go out, regardless of their health at the current time.
Our demands (for the activists)/asks(for the advocates) included:
1. Bringing in health professionals from public health/fire department to speak individually with residents, inquire if they want a booster, and if they say yes, administer the booster
2. Do daily testing of staff, not once a week or the recent every three days
3. More rigorously enforce masking, especially after hours when owner and manager are not on site
4. More rigorously enforce sanitizing, and more rigorously enforce social distancing when doable
5. Keep urging the 25% of staff that remains unvaccinated to consider how exercising their “choice” and their “rights” is putting the health and lives at risk of vulnerable people who are locked in with no ability to escape the COVID Petrie dish. Rights are being granted to the able bodied staff at the expense of the rights, health, freedom and lives of the disabled.
The owner agreed to contact the health department about bringing in people to administer boosters to those who want them, and has spoken with our friend currently residing in BeeHive. Our friend said the conversation was positive and there is a plan to move forward, which we will monitor. We are accounting this as a win, with hopefully more to come.
Switching topics, after I came home I did a bit of research, finding the following information that totally stunned me, and which I unknowingly misrepresented to the facility owner. It is unacceptable that facilities receiving Medicaid/Medicare in Montana are not able to require all staff are vaccinated, or be penalized for not requiring vaccinations.
“Guidance for the Interim Final Rule - Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination
TitleGuidance for the Interim Final Rule - Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination
Memo -22-07-ALL
Posting Date2021-12-28
Fiscal Year2022
SummaryCMS is committed to ensuring America’s healthcare facilities respond effectively in an evidence-based way to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE). •On November 05, 2021, CMS published an interim final rule with comment period (IFC). This rule establishes requirements regarding COVID-19 vaccine immunization of staff among Medicare- and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers. •CMS is providing guidance and survey procedures for assessing and maintaining compliance with these regulatory requirements. •The guidance in this memorandum does not apply to the following states at this time: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming. Surveyors in these states should not undertake any efforts to implement or enforce the IFC.”
Thanks to Meg, Arin, Maddie, Travis, Gavin, Mike, Jenny, Lillie, and everyone who took a piece of things to come together in this action. Many people from different organizations just jumped in and did stuff. I am soooooo proud to be part of this extraordinary community that leads with love!
Marsha
Here is what ended up online..
https://missoulian.com/news/local/protesters-decry-montanas-anti-vaccine-law-at-missoula-assisted-living-facility-protest/article_556e2bfb-93b8-5206-ba6a-a892f4a61e04.html
"HB 702 allows for people who are unvaccinated to come and work in facilities where people should have a right to be protected from certain infectious diseases," said one protester.
