NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Vanderbilt University Medical Center will require all employees in leadership roles to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Communications officials said the deadline requiring vaccination or an exemption for all employees will be "communicated at a later date."
VUMC's Chief Communications Officer John Howser confirmed Monday that all employees were notified on July 15 via its employee e-newsletter, MyVUMC.
Howser said all VUMC leaders will be required to get the first dose of the vaccine or apply for an exemption by August 15. They’re required to be fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption by September 15.
He said the deadline for requiring all VUMC employees to be vaccinated or have an approved exemption is still under consideration and will be announced later.
Howser also said in part:
“The highest responsibility of those in leadership roles at VUMC is to protect the safety of patients, coworkers, trainees and students. It is also important for those in leadership roles to be vaccinated to demonstrate VUMC’s overall commitment to promoting vaccination, both within VUMC and in our broader community. For this reason, and before requiring all VUMC employees to be vaccinated, we will first require that VUMC leaders be fully vaccinated.”
On Monday, more than 50 major medical groups called on health care and long-term care facilities to mandate employees be vaccinated to slow the spread. “This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all health care workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and well-being,” the joint statement says, of requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The statement was signed by the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Nursing Association, among dozens of other nationwide medical industry groups.
Scripps National contributed to this report.
