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COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Incentive

Far Rockaway, New York, August 10, 2021 — St. John’s Episcopal Hospital has announced today that it has surpassed the reported overall Queen’s County hospital worker COVID-19 vaccination percentage of 67% by implementing a staff vaccination incentive program that lasted one month. Through the program, a contest was held in which vaccinated staff were automatically entered into a raffle to win a new car. The hospital’s Far Rockaway zip code of 11691 has the lowest percentage of those vaccinated against COVID-19 in all of New York City, and was the second deadliest zip code at the height of the pandemic. By vaccinating its staff, the hospital is enhancing the health and well-being of its staff, patients, and community as over 26% of staff members live in the Rockaways.

“I am happy to say after implementing the car raffle contest, St. John’s has climbed above the Queen’s County total percentage of hospital employees who are COVID-19 vaccinated,” said Christopher J. Parker, RN, NEA-BC, CHCQM, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer. “We are doing all that we can do to provide that extra nudge to those who may be hesitant to get the vaccine, especially with the Delta variant becoming more prominent in NYC.”

To date, more than 1,500 St. John’s employees have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

Patient Care Technician and Rockaway Resident, Chidoziri Banks, is the lucky winner of the new car—a Honda Civic Sport acquired from Honda City of Levittown, NY. The car was funded through incentives provided by the Cares Act.

Ms. Banks works the night shift at the hospital, and is an advocate of the vaccine. “This program was lovely because it was a great incentive to influence staff to get the vaccine,” Ms. Banks said. “I recovered from COVID-19 and it was difficult. I encourage you to protect yourself and your loved ones by getting the vaccine if you are eligible!”

St. John’s new Mobile Health Unit is also providing COVID-19 vaccines to the public. The Mobile Health Unit is typically present at community events and at various sites through the Rockaways.

Follow St. John’s on Twitter at @StJohnsEpisHosp to be alerted as to when and where the Mobile Health Unit will be.


About Episcopal Health Services

Episcopal Health Services Inc., (EHS) is a health system located on the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, New York. The system provides emergency and ambulatory care to the densely populated, culturally and economically diverse, and medically underserved Rockaways and Five Towns populations. The system provides people of all faiths with comprehensive preventive, diagnostic treatment, and rehabilitative services, regardless of their ability to pay.