KITCHENER -- Time is running out for hospital staff in Waterloo Region who have yet to be fully vaccinated.

Starting Nov. 9, local hospitals will be enforcing its double-vaccination policy, which will require anyone entering its facilities to show proof of a second dose along with a piece of government photo ID.

“We're making the choice based on doing all that we can,” said Lee Fairclough, the president of St. Mary’s General Hospital and the regional hospital lead for the pandemic response.

Fairclough said at St. Mary’s, more than 99 per cent of staff are now fully vaccinated or have one dose with a signed attestation that they will get their second as soon as they become eligible.

“For those staff who have not complied with the policy, it could mean a change of employment status with us,” said Fairclough. “Close to 1,600 staff and close to 400 physicians [have been vaccinated] so it’s a very small number of staff impacted.”

As of October, 27 staff members at St. Mary’s were unvaccinated and placed on unpaid leave. At Grand River Hospital, 171 staff were unvaccinated and Cambridge Memorial, 51 staff had chosen not to comply with the policy.

Though the province is not mandating hospital workers get vaccinated, hospitals in Waterloo Region want to assure the community that they are taking every level of precaution for staff, patients and visitors.

“The policy does have some exceptions like a confirmed medical exemption... for end of life and compassionate needs for patients, we will continue to accommodate those. Some people will come in with full PPE,” said Fairclough.

While she does not anticipate any significant staffing shortages due to the vaccine mandate, the president of SEIU healthcare, Sharleen Stewart said while most of the union’s members are in support of the policy, hospitals are still losing staff.

“Twenty times are leaving because of the working conditions and the lack of respect and protection they are receiving out of this pandemic,” said Stewart.

She adds hospitals across Ontario can’t afford to lose any number of staff.

“If people don’t show up, it’s going to have an effect on the services the hospital provides,” said Stewart.