As the number of COVID-19 cases spikes with the spread of more contagious variants, Central Ohio's hospitals are mandating vaccines for employees.
On Tuesday, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center announced it was adding the COVID-19 vaccine to its "non-discretionary vaccination policy". The policy applies to all faculty, staff and students and includes the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, the College of Medicine and OSU Physicians, Inc. People who are already required to get an annual flu shot will have to receive either the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or an approved vaccine exemption by October 15.
Nationwide Children's Hospital will require staff to be vaccinated by October 1. OhioHealth - which also requires an annual flu shot and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine - will require associates, providers and volunteers to get their COVID vaccination by December 1.
In July Mount Carmel Hospitals, as part of Michigan-based Trinity Health, announced all staff and vendors doing business on the premises would have to either be vaccinated or be approved for a an exemption, or be terminated by the end of the year.
The Ohio Hospital Association Monday recommended that its 245 member institutions set policies to require vaccination. The Ohio Department of Health says nearly all COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in the state are occurring in people who are not vaccinated.
