COVID Vaccination Regulations For Healthcare Employees

Question:

What are the COVID vaccination regulations for healthcare employees?

Answer:

CMS issued “Interim Final Rule” which mandates that all healthcare workers in a CMS regulated healthcare setting obtain the Covid vaccination.  There are no personal choice or preference options to not be vaccinated, there are no exemptions authorized for those who had and recovered from an active Covid infection, and their mandate supersedes any conflicting state or local laws which might prohibit mandatory vaccination.  The new regulations do not yet consider or require any booster doses at this time.

This mandate includes:

• Staff and physicians that have patient contact and staff that have contact with other coworker staff
• Volunteers, board members, and contractors who perform services at the healthcare site
• Construction workers who will be onsite for multiple days, using public restrooms, the cafeteria or staff break rooms

However, there are exceptions to this mandate. For example, healthcare workers who meet the following guidelines are exempted:

• Staff who work remotely from home 100% of the time
• “Ad hoc” contractors who comes in to repair an elevator
• Staff with sincere religious beliefs
• Staff with medical contraindications

Lastly, for the affected healthcare workers, they must meet these deadlines.

By December 5, 2021, healthcare workers must have had their first vaccination with a two-shot vaccine or their one-shot vaccination. And then no later than January 4, 2022 all healthcare workers must have received their second dose of a two-dose vaccine. 

See our Patton Post issue for more information on these requirements.