Tampa General Hospital

Prior to President Joe Biden's announcement that hospital workers must get a coronavirus vaccine, leaders of hospital systems in the region have been reluctant to make it a requirement.

The treatment is proving to be an effective tool at preventing severe illness, but patients who test positive for COVID-19 have to get it early in order for it to work well.

As some hospitals begin mandating staff members receive the COVID shot, Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear he’s not a fan of the idea. He did not say he would ban the practice.

More Floridians are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 than at any point in the pandemic: 22,6% of total in-patient beds on Wednesday, according to the HHS.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor made the plea in a video interview with an emergency room doctor at Tampa General Hospital who reports a sharp increase in the number of younger patients contracting COVID-19.

Many Republican legislators maintained that the requirements stifled competition and created monopolies in the hospital industry. A

Whether the proposals will be enough to stop administrative challenges filed by Tampa General Hospital or Broward Health remains to be seen.

Tampa General Hospital and Adventist Health System filed challenges to the proposed organ-transplant rule, while UF Health Shands and Miami’s Jackson Memorial joined in another challenge to the rule.

Tampa General Hospital is expected to begin distributing the first COVID-19 vaccine early next week.

It is one of five hospitals that would receive the Pfizer vaccine once it receives emergency use authorization from the federal government, which could come on Thursday.

Pending FDA approval, it could receive shipments of a coronavirus vaccine in the next 3-6 weeks.

The safety plan was developed with the guidance of a team from Tampa General Hospital.