Mercy co-workers will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, effective Sept. 30.
The new requirement comes as the Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly, resulting in an uptick in hospitalizations at Mercy hospitals in Fort Smith and Rogers. The situation is even more serious in Missouri, where Mercy has hospitals and clinics in Joplin, Springfield, St. Louis, and other locations.
The majority of Mercy patients recently hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been vaccinated.
“What we are seeing aligns with the Associated Press analysis of CDC data,” said John Mohart, MD, Mercy’s senior vice president of clinical services. “More than 95% of recent hospitalizations across the U.S. are people who aren’t vaccinated. The data is clear. Vaccination is key to saving lives.”
In requiring the vaccine for co-workers and others who serve and work in Mercy facilities, Mercy joins dozens of healthcare organizations across the U.S. in recognizing that vaccination serves the common good, protects patients who come to us for care and is crucial to safeguarding public health and bringing an end to the pandemic.
Both Pfizer and Moderna have applied to the Food and Drug Administration for full approval of their COVID-19 vaccines, which is expected soon. COVID-19 vaccines have been deemed safe and have proven effective with more than 171 million Americans already vaccinated.
Mercy will work with co-workers to develop a plan for compliance ahead of the scheduled deadline. Mercy continues to strongly encourage vaccination throughout the community as well.