AHA calls for mandatory vaccinations for hospital and health system employees

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The American Hospital Association supports mandatory vaccinations for hospital and health system employees, according to a policy statement adopted by the AHA Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

The statement supports hospitals and health systems that adopt mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies, with local factors and circumstances shaping whether and how these policies are implemented. 

In addition, the AHA said it continues to strongly urge the vaccination of all healthcare personnel to protect all patients and communities from the risks of COVID-19.

"The evidence is clear: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in reducing both the risk of becoming infected and spreading the virus to others," said Rick Pollack, AHA's president and CEO, in a statement. "The AHA supports hospitals and health systems that choose, based on local factors, to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for their workforce. Doing so will help protect the health and well-being of healthcare personnel and the patients and communities they proudly serve."

America's Essential Hospitals also said it is urging its member hospitals to require employee vaccinations.

"With the rapid spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, spiking infection rates, and persistent gaps in vaccination that put millions of people at risk nationally, we urge our member hospitals to require vaccination for their employees, for their protection and the safety of patients," said Dr. Bruce Siegel, president and CEO of America's Essential Hospitals.

"Healthcare professionals and other dedicated essential hospital staff have led the nation's response to COVID-19, and they can lead the way to recovery by making a strong and unequivocal statement on the value of vaccination," he said. "We must protect patients and keep our front-line caregivers on the job and their families safe. Vaccination is the surest way to do that."

WHY THIS MATTERS

The AHA and America's Essential Hospitals made their comments days after Centers for Disease Control Director Rochelle Walensky called COVID-19 a "pandemic of the unvaccinated." 

Cases are spiking nationwide. The most recent seven-day moving average of daily COVID-19 cases – more than 26,000 –increased by 70% over the previous seven-day average, according to the CDC.

More than 97% of people currently hospitalized for severe COVID-19 infections are unvaccinated, Walensky said. 

The White House is far from reaching its goal of getting 70% of Americans vaccinated.

"As new cases surge, we still face a significant shortfall in vaccinations nationally, with less than half the country fully vaccinated and only slightly more than half with at least one dose of the vaccine," Siegel said.

"We also face continuing inequities in COVID-19 hospitalizations, deaths, and vaccination rates that fall along racial and ethnic lines. By requiring vaccination for all employees, essential hospitals can set the example we need to improve those numbers, turn back the pandemic's latest assault, and build equity for all people."
 
THE LARGER TREND

Some hospitals do require employees to be vaccinated to protect against COVID-19.

The mandate at Houston Methodist caused pushback in June from some nurses and other employees who walked off the job rather than submit to being vaccinated with what they deemed an experimental vaccine. The three vaccines being used in the United States – Moderna, Pfizer and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, have received emergency use authorization, rather than full approval from the Food and Drug Administration. 

More than 100 Houston Methodist employees sued and lost when a federal judge dismissed their case. 

However, National Nurses United is calling for a resumption of mask mandates due to coronavirus spikes and the spread of the Delta variant.

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com