Thursday marked the deadline for California healthcare workers to get fully immunized – and employees here in the Valley who don’t comply could lose their jobs.

The state’s new mandate announced last month now requires all California healthcare workers to get vaccinated. Valley hospitals say anyone who does not meet the requirements will not be allowed to work.

The nearly 2,000 employees of Desert Regional Medical Center are almost 100% vaccinated.

“We are at 95% compliance with the governor’s orders. And for people… who have already received their first dose, we tend to be over 97% compliance,” the director of the government said on Tuesday. operating Mike Ditoro.

Eisenhower Health declined to share exactly how many of its 5,000 employees are vaccinated.

A spokesperson for Rancho Mirage Hospital said Thursday that “the majority” of staff have been vaccinated and others are asking to be vaccinated every day.

Last week, Dr Alan Williamson told News Channel 3 that the hospital is getting closer to compliance. “Over 95% of our employees are already fully vaccinated at this point, or at least have received their first vaccine,” Williamson said on September 21.

Up to 5% of Eisenhower Health employees have requested medical or religious exemptions, Williamson said. But if they are refused, they could be fired.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Eisenhower Health continues to encourage staff to get vaccinated in order to keep their jobs … Their continued employment will require them to complete the vaccination process.”

Some Eisenhower employees have resigned, Williamson said, although it is not clear whether this is due to the vaccine’s mandate.

Jim Leckliter and Andrea Oteri are both registered nurses providing health care in the valley. They have opposing views on the mandate.

“If you don’t get the vaccine (and aren’t exempt) then healthcare isn’t the career for you; you should be fired, in my opinion,” Leckliter said.

“I think if I catch Covid I get Covid,” Oteri said. “I’d rather take this risk.”

Immunization information from JFK Memorial Hospital was not immediately available.