CINCINNATI – All hospitals in the Cincinnati area will require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as hospital systems tackle rising cases and hospital stays, the Health Collaborative said Thursday.
Representatives and executives from hospitals in the greater Cincinnati area met Thursday to make the announcement.
“At this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that the best way to keep our patients, families and employees safe is to vaccinate and continue to follow all best safety precautions,” said Michael Fisher, CEO of Cincinnati Children, during a Thursday press conference. “This vaccination requirement underscores our commitment to our community to ensure that the risk of contracting COVID-19 from our employees is minimal – and gives children and families the peace of mind that it is safe to access inpatient, outpatient and preventive healthcare take what you need. “
Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center, Tri-Health, Christ Hospital, and Mercy Health are among those confirmed to need the syringe. Hospital leaders said there would be some exceptions for staff, for example for religious reasons.
Cincinnati Children’s, like most hospitals in the area, already requires vaccination against seasonal flu, measles, mumps, and rubella.
Most employees must be fully vaccinated by October 1, although some hospitals have not yet set a deadline. Hospital leaders said implementation will be similar to what other vaccines need.
At Christ Hospital, where we expect an announcement at 9:00 am. The press release said they will talk about an increase in hospital admissions in the area due to COVID-19, hospital preparation, security and the tools available. @wcpo pic.twitter.com/fnoRKQEMXK
– Courtney Francisco (@CFranciscoWCPO) August 5, 2021
Hospitals say the implementation will be similar to what other vaccines need. The executives here say they don’t know what percentage of their staff have been vaccinated so far. @wcpo
– Courtney Francisco (@CFranciscoWCPO) August 5, 2021
Doctors say they don’t wait for FDA approval because the science and data are very clear and the vaccine is not experimental. @wcpo
– Courtney Francisco (@CFranciscoWCPO) August 5, 2021
The announcement comes as companies across the tri-state are considering making employee vaccinations mandatory.
WCPO will continue to update this story.
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