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Durham, North Carolina – Major North Carolina hospital systems, including Durham-based Duke University Health System and Chapel Hill-based UNC Health, announced Thursday that all staff and doctors must be vaccinated to continue working there.
These measures follow the decision of the North Carolina Healthcare Association to support mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers. The association represents 130 hospitals and health systems across the state.
“Protecting patients, visitors and healthcare workers from COVID-19 continues to be of paramount importance. Vaccinating hospital and healthcare workers against COVID-19 is vital to the safe care of patients by protecting them from infection and to mitigate the spread of the virus. within healthcare facilities and among clinicians, patients and their families and friends, ”the association said in a statement.
Duke Health and UNC Health have set a deadline of September 21 for staff to be fully immunized, and employees will be required to show proof of vaccination to their supervisors. Anyone seeking a medical or religious exemption from being vaccinated must apply before September 7.
“DUHS is taking this step because we are committed to keeping our patients, team members and the community safe and healthy,” said Dr. William Fulkerson, executive vice president of Duke Health, in a statement . “Our position is based on scientific data from infectious disease and public health experts in Duke and the United States, which shows that vaccines are both safe and effective in dramatically reducing COVID transmissions. “
Other hospital systems requiring staff vaccinations include Greensboro-based Cone Health, Winston-Salem-based Novant Health, and Charlotte-based Atrium Health. There was no immediate word that WakeMed would demand its staff get vaccinated.
More to come on this developing story …
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