KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Children’s Mercy Hospital is the latest to require all employees, residents, interns and volunteers to be fully vaccinated.
Staff has until Dec. 15, 2021 to get a shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or two doses of Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines. Anyone who is not fully vaccinated by that time is required to have a medical or religious accommodation approved by the hospital.
The hospital said it realizes that no vaccine is 100% effective, the COVID-19 vaccines are safe. They are also highly effective at keeping vaccinated people out of hospitals.
“Implementing this mandate will further improve employee safety, and that of our patients and community,” Paul Kempinski, President and CEO of Children’s Mercy Hospital, said. “Currently, about 80% of our employees have been fully vaccinated. Although this is great progress, we believe we can and must do better. By committing to this policy, we are doing our part – honoring our obligation – to keep our patients, employees, and community safe, and to halt the pandemic’s devastating impact.”
The hospital is also asking employees to continue masking and using personal protective equipment. They are also completing daily self assessments to notice any COVID-19 symptoms quickly.
North Kansas City Hospital, St. Luke’s Health System, Truman Medical Centers/University Health, and the University of Kansas Health System are some of the other hospitals in the Kansas City metro requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for employees.