A California hospital that let teachers get COVID vaccine early may face penalties

A California school district contacted teachers with an exciting offer — a local hospital had COVID-19 vaccine appointments available for educators and school employees.

But vaccines are currently restricted in Santa Clara County to seniors over age 75 and health care workers. Teachers won’t be eligible until the next phase opens.

The offer could cost Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose access to more COVID-19 vaccines beyond those needed to administer second doses, the San Jose Spotlight reported.

The hospital will have to prove that it will follow state and county COVID-19 vaccine rules in order to receive more vaccines, says a letter from Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, county COVID-19 testing officer, according to the publication.

Hospital officials say they realize “we were in error and do sincerely apologize,” The Mercury News reported. They promised to conduct an investigation into what they called an “isolated incident.”

The vaccine offer to the affluent Los Gatos Union School District came to light Thursday when Superintendent Paul Johnson emailed educators and employees about the “wonderful gesture,” the San Jose Spotlight reported.

In his initial email, Johnson said hospital administrators were grateful to the district for raising money to feed hospital workers when the pandemic began, according to the publication.

In a follow-up email, however, Johnson denied any “quid pro quo” for the fundraiser, KTVU reported.

“We did not ‘give’ to ‘get,’” Johnson wrote, according to the station. “The Good Sam vaccination efforts are not tied to our service, and I’m sorry if this was miscommunicated.”

Hospital officials said about 65 vaccine appointments were offered to district employees when the spots could not be filled by eligible patients and the vaccines began to thaw, The Mercury News reported.

But teacher Jim Fredette blasted the offer at a district board meeting Thursday night, calling it a “back-door” effort to reopen schools at the behest of wealthy parents, KTVU reported.

“When health care workers and seniors remain unvaccinated, this course of action is wrong, any way you slice it,” Fredette said, The Mercury News reported.

David Snyder, president of the school board, denied any wrongdoing, KTVU reported.

“Let’s be clear, the district did not reach out to Good Samaritan,” Snyder told the station. “Good Samaritan reached out to the district to offer this to educators.”

In his letter to the hospital, Fenstersheib called the offer “problematic for multiple reasons,” the San Jose Spotlight reported. Along with violating vaccine protocols and creating confusion about eligibility, the offer also smacked of favoritism, he wrote.