UNC, Duke Health To Require Staff COVID-19 Vaccinations by September

UNC Health, alongside other state healthcare systems, has announced that it will make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all staff.

According to a UNC Health statement, all staff must receive their vaccine by Tuesday, September 21. The message said the main goal of these mandatory COVID vaccinations is to “protect the health and safety of our patients and our teammates.”

“We take this step alongside multiple other health care systems across North Carolina, including Atrium Health, Cone Health, Duke University Health System, Novant Health, and others,” said UNC Health. “Together and alongside the North Carolina Healthcare Association, we believe that a mandatory vaccine program is in the best interest of public health and is essential for the safety of our patients, teammates and communities. We understand that many who have consciously chosen to not get vaccinated may be disappointed by this decision, but believe the benefit to public health and the safety of our teammates, patients and communities is paramount.”

Mandatory vaccinations for UNC Health employees includes those working at UNC Medical Center, UNC REX Healthcare, Chatham Hospital, Johnston Health, UNC Health Southeastern, UNC Rockingham Health Care, UNC Physicians Network Practices and UNC Health Shared Services locations.

This new vaccination requirement comes at a time when the healthcare system is “very concerned” about the highly-transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported July 16 that new cases of COVID-19 are up by nearly 70 percent in just a week, due largely to the Delta variant. Hospitalizations are up by nearly 36 percent.

UNC Health said current infection rates are “overwhelmingly” in unvaccinated people who are being infected with the Delta variant. Similarly, those hospitalized with the COVID-19 virus are more likely to be unvaccinated.

“Getting vaccinated is the most effective way to protect yourself and everyone around you,” read UNC Health’s statement. “Currently, more than 99% of all US deaths due to COVID-19 are in unvaccinated patients. While approximately 72 percent of teammates across UNC Health have been vaccinated, we need to significantly increase that percentage to keep everyone safe.”

Dr. William J. Fulkerson, the Executive Vice President of the Duke University Health System, echoed these sentiments in a message to Duke Health employees on Thursday.

“DUHS is taking this action because we are committed to keeping our patients, team members and the community safe and healthy,” wrote Fulkerson. “Our position is based on scientific data from infectious disease and public health experts at Duke and around the U.S., which show the vaccines to be both safe and effective in significantly reducing COVID transmissions.”

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced on Wednesday his executive order responding to the pandemic, which includes a face mask mandate for certain spaces, will expire on July 31.

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UNC, Duke Health To Require Staff COVID-19 Vaccinations by September

UNC Health, alongside other state healthcare systems, has announced that it will make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all staff. According to a UNC Health statement, all staff must receive their vaccine by Tuesday, September 21. The message said the main goal of these mandatory COVID vaccinations is to “protect the health and safety of our […]

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