As we do for other required vaccinations, our teams will work together to develop the necessary policies, procedures and justifiable exemptions to this new requirement, and develop a timeline for when it goes into effect.
Key leadership teams including Infectious Diseases, Human Resources and Operations have held numerous discussions both internally and with other hospitals and institutions in the state and across the country concerning this step forward. These discussions and our unwavering commitment to patient and employee safety have led to this important decision to provide the safest environment for our staff and the individuals and communities we serve.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, you have been dedicated to stopping the spread of COVID-19 by following critical guidelines and safety protocols, and many have made it a priority to get vaccinated. It is extremely encouraging to see that the great majority of our workforce Wellforce-wide has already been vaccinated.
What You Can Do Now
Evidence continues to grow each and every day of the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines and confirms that those who are fully vaccinated have a lower risk of being infected, hospitalized and spreading the virus than those who are not vaccinated. The reopening of our societies and the return to activities with families and friends showcase the effectiveness of the vaccines and what they have done to stop the spread.
We must not forget, however, that COVID-19 is still with us. The Delta variant is becoming more prominent in the United States, and it is vitally important that we continue to do everything we can to protect our patients and ourselves. As leaders in health care we must:
- Continue to follow the various safety guidelines in place at our facilities and offices.
- Get vaccinated if you have not already done so.
