Columbus hospitals will need COVID vaccines for their employees

Health systems in central Ohio will soon require COVID-19 vaccines for their employees.

Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is requiring all faculty, staff, and students to receive at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine by October 15. announced that it will require full immunizations for all of its 35,000 employees and volunteers by December 1.

Mount Carmel Health System‘s parent company, Trinity Health, announced a vaccination mandate on July 8.

The state of Ohio said in an emailed statement that due to the resurgence of COVID-19, it is adding the vaccine to its non-discretionary vaccination policy. Any employee who wishes not to be vaccinated will need an approved vaccine exemption.

“As healthcare providers, we know that getting vaccinated is the best way to boost immunity and protect our patients, colleagues, families and ourselves,” said Dr Hal Paz, vice -Executive chairman and chancellor for health affairs of Ohio. State University and CEO of Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. “We are proud that over 72% of our more than 27,000 employees have already chosen to be vaccinated against COVID-19. ”

The Nationwide Children’s Hospital said it would need the vaccine because the majority of its patients are under 12 and cannot receive the vaccine.

“With the emergence of the highly contagious new delta variant and the recent increases in COVID-19 cases in many of our communities, we need to make sure all of our team members are protected and do our part to create it. safest possible environment for everyone we serve, ”the Nationwide Children’s Hospital said in an emailed statement.

Ohio reported 1,756 new cases of coronavirus and 124 hospitalizations on Tuesday. The state has seen an increase in the number of new cases in the past 16 days.

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