DAVENPORT, Iowa — Local hospital workers are running out of time to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit their exception paperwork.
Earlier, on August 11, Genesis Health System announced a requirement for all workers and medical staff to by fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 8, a rapidly-approaching deadline.
Requiring the COVID-19 vaccine is something other companies have done, both nationally and locally. About one week earlier, UnityPoint Health announced they were mandating the vaccine for their staff as well.
Similarly, Unitypoint workers face an even earlier deadline of Monday, November 1.
“Our commitment to patients is that we will provide the safest care environments throughout Genesis,’’ said Doug Cropper, President and CEO, Genesis Health System. "This decision is made after thorough analysis. It is the right decision at the right time. We have safe, highly effective vaccines and they are accessible. There is no financial barrier because the vaccinations are free. This is an opportunity for Genesis staff to lead by example and continue to encourage others who have not been vaccinated.”
Genesis requires staff to be regularly vaccinated against influenza, said Cropper. And as part of the company's onboarding process, they require proof of up-to-date vaccinations.
This requirement also comes as parts of the News 8 viewing area stand in high and substantial transmission levels, according to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker.
At Genesis, Cropper said since December, when the vaccine first became available, most of the patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had not been vaccinated against the virus. They've had almost 800 COVID-19 patients hospitalized since then, and he said about 20 were fully vaccinated.
Workers who plan to request religious or medical exemptions, instead of getting vaccinated, need to have that paperwork submitted by November 8.
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