While most major hospital systems in the state have made full vaccinations mandatory, Mission Health System employees will now be required to receive the COVID19 vaccine due to federal requirements.
“Healthcare operations in states that have already mandated vaccination,” said Nancy Lindell, Spokesperson for Mission Health System. “Since COVID-19 vaccines became available earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as our infectious disease experts, have been strongly encouraging vaccination as a critical step to protect individuals from the virus. We are working with our colleagues to assist those that have not yet received the vaccine. ”
At the beginning of August, almost 56% of Mission Health colleagues and 67% of clinical providers were fully vaccinated. According to Lindell, the hospital has not tracked vaccines of employees outside of those who received them within the facility, so the total number of employees that will now need to be vaccinated is not known.
Last week, the Biden administration announced employees who work at companies with 100 or more employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than Jan. 4, 2022, or be tested for the virus weekly. Hospitals must now require the COVID-19 vaccine for employees, or risk losing funds from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
According to the federal mandate, certain medical and religious exemptions may be allowed but it is up to each facility to establish their own processes for allowing these.
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