A group of doctors and staff at Stanford University’s hospital on Friday held a protest to signal their frustration with school officials over the university’s plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines.
The doctors and staff who demonstrated claimed that the school did not prioritize residents and fellows working directly with COVID-19 patients in their plan for vaccine distribution.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the health care workers gathered inside Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto before moving to the plaza in front of the hospital.
Some held signs reading, “Healthcare heroes support each other,” and “Front line workers need protection.”
In a video shared on Twitter by Chronicle reporter Nanette Asimov, one medical professional spoke to the crowd, saying, “thousands of Americans have died of this disease.”
“Those numbers are not going down, they’re going up. So, any excuse you make for why we, whose goal being here at Stanford is to treat these patients, any excuse you have to why we have not been prioritized, it’s over,” the demonstrator added. “I don’t care if you found out yesterday, I don’t care if you found out Tuesday. As soon as you find out, you make it right.”
Daniel Hernandez, an emergency room resident marching in the protest, told the Chronicle, “I’m here because we were promised, multiple times, that we would be vaccinated in the first wave.”
In a letter sent to top Stanford officials, the health care workers claim that only seven residents and fellows were included in the university’s first round of vaccinations, with 5,000 scheduled to begin Friday, according to the Chronicle.
Protesters told the Chronicle on Friday that those receiving vaccinations before front-line hospital workers include orthopedic surgeons, nurses treating outpatients and a dermatologist.
“There is still no articulated plan to vaccinate the remaining 1,300+ residents and fellows, including those on the front line directly treating COVID-19 patients,” the letter obtained by the Chronicle said. “It is important for us to articulate to you that at this time, residents are hurt, disappointed, frustrated, angry, and feel a deep sense of distrust towards the hospital administration given the sacrifices we have been making and the promises that were made to us.”
Protesters told the Chronicle that Stanford officials cited an algorithm error in a process that was meant to distribute the vaccine to older health care workers and employees.
However, the demonstrators added that this issue has not been resolved since officials became aware of the error on Tuesday.
According to Politico reporter Dan Diamond, Stanford Chief Medical Officer Niraj Sehgal issued an emailed apology this week for “several unintended missteps.”
“Please know the perceived lack of priority for residents and fellows was not the intent at all,” the email said.
Officials also sent an email to hospital officials Friday morning, explaining that their algorithm for administering the vaccine “failed to include trainees despite the best efforts of many leaders to advocate for the trainees as our very important front line work force,” adding that “there are active meetings to correct this.”
President and CEO of Stanford Health David Entwhistle appeared at Friday’s protest, the Chronicle reported, and told the crowd, “We’ll correct it. We know that it’s wrong.”