HEPPNER — The Morrow County Health District did not lose any workers as a result of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to Emily Roberts, the interim chief executive officer for the district.

“The district is in compliance with the governor’s mandate,” Roberts said in an email. “There were no workforce reductions as a result of the mandate.”

The district reported 70% of its employees had been vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the mandate’s deadline.

The 30% of its workforce that had yet to get the shot all received exemptions, Roberts said.

That means every unvaccinated employee at Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner received an exemption, Roberts said.

Roberts said the health district “did not collect information about vaccination status prior to the mandate,” and therefore could not say if the mandate prompted workers to get vaccinated.