COVID-19 Vaccination Program Implementation Policies and Procedures

Introduction

Healthcare workers are on the front line in the fight against COVID-19. As a result, they are at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. It is highly recommended that all healthcare workers get vaccinated against COVID-19. The hospital will, therefore, make COVID-19 vaccination part of its workplace wellness program to help in keeping the employees healthy. This will include setting up an on-site clinic dedicated to providing vaccination to the employees. By having a well-established COVID-19 vaccination program, the hospital stands to benefit from improved workforce health by preventing employees from contracting COVID-19. The hospital will also benefit through reduced time missed from work as employees seek off-site vaccination, reduced absence due to illness, improved morale, and improved productivity. For effective implementation of COVID-19 vaccination in the workplace, it is important that the program is guided by well-informed policies and procedures. This memorandum entails policies and procedures that can help the hospital host a successful COVID-19 vaccination implementation program for all its employees.

Read also Increase in Family Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Decision to Have All Employees Vaccinated

The decision to have all the employees vaccinated aims to promote workplace safety. Healthcare workers provide critical care to those who are or might be infected with the COVID-19 virus. Hence, they are at an increased risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. A policy requiring all employees to get COVID-19 vaccination, therefore, promotes a safe working place. Additionally, it is imperative that hospital personnel are in the forefront of combating hospital-acquired infections. Besides maintaining a safe working environment, hospitals have an obligation to protect patient safety. This includes protecting them from hospital-acquired infections. Healthcare personnel interact with patients who are infected with COVID-19 as well as those who are not infected. If they have not received the vaccination, they increase the risk of the spread of virus in the hospital. Thus, the vaccinating the hospital employees also protects patients from hospital-acquired infections.

Read also Compulsory COVID-19 Vaccinations and Effectiveness of Immunizations

Moreover, the decision to have all employees vaccinated have significant potential benefits to both the hospital and the employees. The vaccine will keep the workforce healthy by preventing the hospital’s employees from contracting COVID-19 virus. It will also reduce absenteeism associated with COVID-19 illness. Moreover, it will lead to enhanced employee morale which in turn translates to improved employee productivity (“Workplace Vaccination Program”, 2021). Health care workers must be healthy to provide the best services to patients who rely on them for medical care. During this time when the world is fighting COVID-19, the health status of healthcare personnel will be a major determinant of the world’s ability to overcome the pandemic. Potential benefits to workforce include prevention of COVID-19 illness and an increased sense of safety in the workplace which improves employee engagement levels (“Workplace Vaccination Program”, 2021). Thus, it is crucial that the hospital require all its employees to get vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus.

Read also Derailed Strategies of Covid-19

However, there will be exemption for certain employees to mandatorily receive the COVID-19 vaccination. The exemption is informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulations. The CDC asserts that individuals have the right to refuse the vaccination due to underlying medical conditions, sincere religious beliefs, or disability. It is worth noting that there is no law that requires COVID-19 vaccination to be mandatory (“Key Elements of a Model Workplace Safety and Health COVID-19 Vaccination Program”, 2021). However, given the magnitude of the threat posed by the COVID-19 virus, it is imperative that all employees working in facilities providing health care receive the vaccine to ensure workplace safety and protect patients from acquiring the infection from medical personnel. Nonetheless, the hospital cannot compel individuals to contradict their religious beliefs or take the vaccine if it will threaten their health. Individuals who can provide proof that receiving the vaccine will endanger their health due to existing medical conditions or disability will, therefore, be exempted from receiving the vaccination.

Read also Mitigating COVID-19 Crisis in America’s Emergency Rooms

Thus, for employees who can provide documentation to substantiate their refusal of the vaccine due to health condition, disability, or religious belief, the hospital will have to provide reasonable accommodation such as requiring them to wear mask at all times when in the facility. Also, it is worth noting that as the employer, the hospital has an obligation to provide a working environment where all employees feel safe and comfortable. Having a team that is immunized against the COVID-19 virus can help the hospital satisfy the obligation. Hence, it the exemption can result to the vaccinated employees feeling that their safety is compromised and, as such, uncomfortable, the hospital will have to ask the exempted employees to work remotely. The primary objective is provision of a safe workplace where all employees feel comfortable and protected.

Risk Analysis Assessment for the COVID-19 Vaccination Program

            The decision to have all employees vaccinating poses several risks to the organization. The main risk stems from employees resisting to receive the vaccination. A survey conducted to assess the reception of the COVID-19 vaccine in the US pointed out that only 58% of the population support employers requiring their employees to get vaccinated (Fridman, Gershon, & Gneezy, 2021). From these statistics, it is rational to expect resistance from some employee who object the vaccine. Notably, the objections can lead to litigations with the employees claiming that the organization is infringing their rights. The employees may argue that by requiring all its employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19, it is infringing laws enforced by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EOCC). The EOCC enforces federal laws that make it illegal employers to discriminate an employee or job applicant due (“Workplace Vaccination Program”, 2021). The requirement that all employees must be vaccinated to continue working in the hospital can be interpreted as inclined towards promoting discrimination. However, recent court ruling by a Texas federal judge have affirmed that employers can implement mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy (“Texas Judge Becomes One of the First to Affirm Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy”, 2021).

            Another risk that may result from the decision to have all employees vaccinated is personnel shortage. Some employees may experience severe the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine that may necessitate that they miss work. Common side effects include pain, redness, and swelling of the arm at the spot where an individual gets the shot. Other side effects include tiredness, muscle pain, headache, fever, chills, and nausea. According to the CDC, the side effects are normal and are a signs that the body is building defense against the COVID-19 virus. These side effects may affect an individual’s ability to undertake day-to-day activities. However, they disappear in a few days (“COVID-19 Vaccine Facts”, 2021). If a significant percentage of the hospital workforce experience these side effects it can lead to employee shortage during the designated vaccination period.

COVID-19 Vaccination Program Policies and Procedures

Beinga large hospital, the facility has the capacity to set-up an on-site clinic dedicated to providing COVID-19 vaccination to the hospital’s employees. For effective hosting of a COVID-19 vaccination program, the hospital must establish key procedures and policies to undergird the process. Effective resources allocation and time to plan, promote, and deliver the program also determine the success of a workplace vaccination program. The policies and procedures discussed in this section will prove useful in aiding the hospital successfully implement a COVID-19 vaccination program for all its employees. Below, this resource outlines fifteen key components that will ensure successful implementation a workplace vaccination program for the hospital employees.

Establish a Planning Committee

            The effectiveness of the program is dependent on how well it is planned. The hospital will, therefore, establish a planning committee. The planning committee will incorporate key hospital stakeholders including those involved in human resources, operational management, purchasing, frontline employees, and union representatives. The committee will plan all the aspects of the program and document the formulated plan. Subsequently, it will review the plan and make changes as needed. The final plan will be accessible to all hospital workers across all shifts. It is imperative that the plan consider all aspects of the vaccination program including how to deal with employees who may experience adverse side effects to the vaccine. Other issues that the committee will consider when formulating the plan include medical referrals, time-off, and staff responsible for questions or contact.

            Moreover, the planning committee will clearly communicate the benefits of workers participating in the COVID-19 vaccination program. It is also imperative that the committee identify barriers and concerns that may influence the hospital workers to be hesitant to receive the vaccine. Lastly, the committee will consider all the program logistics. The established plan will address logistical issues by appropriately scheduling the employees for vaccination and ensure compliance with the state and federal guidelines regarding scheduling of vaccinations. Additionally, the committee will have well formulated plans for how the hospital will receive, store, and administer the vaccine across the organization. The plan will also include any other information that will ensure the hospital is well prepared to host the COVID-19 vaccination program for all its employees.

Collaboration and Education

            The hospital will collaborate with unions and community organizations to develop an education plan to undergird the COVID-19 vaccination program. The education plan will outline all the steps necessary to effectively educate and inform the hospitals workers to ensure that they make informed choices regarding getting vaccinated. The education plan will also entail opportunity for workers to ask questions, raise concerns, and provide their input regarding how to best implement the vaccination program and how to best build confidence about workers receiving the vaccine. The hospital will emphasize the importance of workers being transparent and being open to collaborate with the organization to improve the delivery of the vaccine. The hospital will have qualified individuals to listen and respond to the employees’ questions and concerns in real time. The said individuals will also be prepared to handle questions whose answers are not yet known such as the long-term effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.

            The education plan will address various topics regarding the COVID-19 vaccine including how it works, overview of the vaccine effectiveness and safety, the training and qualification of the persons administering the vaccine, and the role of the vaccine in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Other topics that the education plan will feature include potential side effects associated with the vaccine, myths and facts surrounding the vaccine, and situations in which an individual will not receive the vaccine. The education plan will also address the importance of continuing other COVID-19 protective measures even after receiving the vaccine. The measures include mask wearing, use of personal protective equipment, barriers, ventilation, and physical distancing.

According to the CDC, typically it takes about two weeks after receiving the vaccine for the body to build protection against the COVID-19 virus. Thus, a person can still contract the illness just after receiving the vaccine because the body has not had enough time to build strong protection. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine or Pfizer-BioNTech or two weeks after receiving a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (“COVID-19 Vaccine Facts”, 2021). Therefore, the hospital will remind its employees to continue observing the COVID-19 protective measures even after receiving the vaccine.

Open Communication and Information Dissemination

            Effective communication is essential to the success of the vaccination program. The hospital leadership will hold meetings and educational campaigns designed to inform the employees about the rationale for all employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital will use of multiple communication channels including meetings, emails, group discussions, et cetera for information dissemination. Specific actions that the hospital can take to promote open communication and effective dissemination of information include the leaders being vaccination champions. The hospital’s leaders will lead by example by getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital will also establish an internal publicity campaign team. The team will be in charge of testimonials, staff presentations, meetings, and preparing short videos. The publicity campaign team will utilize various tools including posters, factsheets, stickers, social media, blogs, email blasts, web articles, et cetera. The primary objective of the publicity campaign team is to ensure positive reception of the COVID-19 vaccination program by the hospital employees.

Establishing Location and Time for Vaccine Delivery

            The hospital will also establish specific time and location for the delivery of the vaccine. In deciding the best time and location, it is crucial that the hospital consider convenience as the key determining factor. The time and location of administering the vaccine will be convenient to the hospital employees. Considering the convenience and accessibility increases employees participation in the program. The hospital will provide the vaccine during work hours, for all shifts, to ensure convenience to the workers. Regarding location, the hospital will set-up a vaccination clinic at its compound. The location of the clinic must consider factors such as storage of supplies, refrigeration, and disposal of needles and syringes. The location must also be easily accessible by all the hospital’s employees.

Safety and Transparency

            It is important that the hospital establish policies and practices geared towards promoting safety and transparency. To start with, the hospital will communicate the risks associated with the COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital must ensure that those running the program are well-prepared to communicate the risks and are well-equipped to treat any reactions. The program will, therefore, have a rapid response team for employees who may have severe reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital will also provide all its employees with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) Fact Sheet for the vaccine type that it is administering.

            The vaccination program will also have a safety protocol document at the vaccination location. Those tasked with administering the vaccine must ensure that the program is using devices with sharps injury prevention features. For any injuries or exposure that happen, they will document them in the Sharps Injury Log as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens and Recordkeeping Standards (“Importance of COVID-19 Vaccination for Essential Workers”, 2021). Notably, any individual working at the clinic who experiences a sharps injury or exposure must also be recorded on the log. The program will also document how medical emergencies such as severe allergic reactions to the vaccine will be managed.

            The hospital must also ensure that the personnel working at the vaccination clinic are appropriately trained regarding safety and medical needs and the program has the right medications and medical response equipment. The program will also establish an observational period whereby the employees who receive the vaccine will be observed for at least 15 minutes. For recipients who have a history of anaphylaxis, the observation period will be at least 30 minutes (“COVID-19 Vaccination”, 2021). Moreover, the program will have provision for medical leave time for employees who experience severe side effects. Although majority of the side effects do not affect an individual’s ability to perform daily tasks, some individuals may experience side effects that interfere with work-related activities (“Key Elements of a Model Workplace Safety and Health COVID-19 Vaccination Program”, 2021). The plan will also include provision of medical attention if needed.

Promotion of the Vaccination Program

            Promotion messages will send clear and accurate information designed to educate the hospital workers about the vaccine, raise awareness regarding the benefits of receiving the vaccine, and address underlying questions and concerns. The hospital can utilize several methods to promote vaccination for all the employees. For instance, the hospital can adapt the key messages of the promotional efforts to the language, format, and tone that will resonate with all the hospital employees. The hospital will leverage leaders and supervisors’ knowledge as they know what works best for the workers. Another way that the hospital can enhance the effectiveness of the promotional efforts is sending customized memos or emails to the employees to introduce the vaccination program educational activities.

            Moreover, the hospital will print copies of the communication resources and hand them out to the employees or hang them in highly visible locations such as notice boards, offices, et cetera. It is also imperative that the hospital create a COVID-19 vaccination program presentation for the employees. The hospital will promote the presentation via multiple communication channels to ensure the message reaches all the employees. Furthermore, the hospital will have open discussions prior to the opening of the vaccination clinic. During the discussions, the hospital will establish and publicize a feedback mechanism for the workers to ask questions about the vaccine. The feedback mechanism will incorporate multiple channels includi8ng an email inbox, point of contact, and a phone number.

            Notably, in its promotional endeavors, the hospital must ensure that it provides the employees with accurate information regarding vaccine effectiveness, benefits, side effects, and safety. The hospital will also made education regarding the COVID-19 vaccine an ongoing process so that they continue educating the workforce via blog posts, articles, and social media posts. The education materials will messages tailored to reach different types of employees. Incorporation of graphics can also enhance the effectiveness of the educational materials.

Managing Potential Objections to the COVID-19 Vaccine

            Contemporary surveys on the reception of the COVID-19 vaccine have shown that there exist a considerable percentage of the population who question the effectiveness and outcomes of the vaccine. These individuals believe that the risks associated with the vaccine outweigh the benefits. The hospital will, therefore, expect objections to the COVID-19 vaccination program from some of its employees. An approach that can help the hospital effectively manage the resistance is establishing a proactive educational campaign. The robust vaccine educational campaign will harness both traditional and modern communication channels to engage the hospital’s diverse workforce.

            The objection against vaccination is mostly influenced by false information and conspiracy theories. Some of the myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines is that they can alter a person’s DNA, they can make people sick with COVID-19, they affect menstrual cycle, and many others. For individuals who rely on social media for information, they might rely on these myths to make decision regarding whether to get vaccinated or not. The hospital will, therefore, launch a robust educational campaign to counter the fringe notions regarding COVID-19 vaccines. The campaign will factually educate the hospital employees regarding the components of the vaccine, how it works, side effects, and potential risks.

            The campaign will utilize the hospital’s leaders as the champions for the COVID-19 vaccination. The leaders will play an integral role in encouraging other employees to embrace the vaccine. The campaign will also have physicians to teach the hospital workers about the benefits of the vaccine and debunk existing myths. Individuals who work in the healthcare industry are exposed to the same media stories as the general public and are susceptible to cognitive bias that can influence them to believe the false information about the COVID-19 vaccine. A strong physician recommendation can significantly bolster the employees support for the vaccine.

CDC Requirements for On-Site Vaccination at the Workplace

            The CDC recommends that the planning process for implementing a workplace COVID-19 vaccination program include input from the human resource, the management, workers, and labor representatives. Secondly, organizations considering hosting a workplace COVID-19 vaccination program must contact the health department in their jurisdiction. The health department is mandated with providing guidance to workplaces considering implementing a vaccination program. Thirdly, employers should engage a vaccination vendor. Typically, vaccination providers have trained nursing staff who can help organizations administer the COVID-19 vaccines to their employees. Fourthly, workplace vaccination clinics should offer vaccination to their employees during working hours and it should be free of charge. Lastly, CDC requires that workplace vaccination programs provide easy access for all workers, regardless of their status (“Workplace Vaccination Program”, 2021). The hospital will comply with these CDC requirements.

            Vaccination program confidence refers to the trust that people have in the recommended vaccine, processes and policies that undergird the program, and the staff administering the vaccine. The confidence also stems from the trust that the recipients of the vaccine have in the processes and policies that led to the development of vaccine, its licensure, manufacturing, and recommendation for use by reliable bodies such as the CDC and WHO (“Key Elements of a Model Workplace Safety and Health COVID-19 Vaccination Program”, 2021). The hospital will build employees trust regarding the vaccination program by making confidence evident in the workplace. The following five steps can help the hospital build COVID-19 vaccination confidence among the employees.

Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccination Program

First, encourage the hospital leaders to be the vaccination program champions. The hospital will ensure the leaders reflect the diversity of the employees. The leaders will share their personal reasons for receiving the vaccination with their staff and emphasize the benefits associated with the COVID-19 vaccine.  Second, the hospital will communicate transparently and factually about the vaccine. Third, the hospital will make use of the communication plan developed in the planning stage to share key messages with the employees. The hospital will utilize posters, emails, and other channels. The communication message will be formulated such that it also stresses that by receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the employees are also protecting their families, co-workers, and the community at large (“Key Elements of a Model Workplace Safety and Health COVID-19 Vaccination Program”, 2021).

The fourth step involves posting regular updates on topics such as safety, benefits, effectiveness, and side effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccines. It is also important to clearly communicate what is not known about the COVID-19 virus and the vaccines. The last step entails making visible the decisions to get vaccine. The hospital can provide sticklers for employees to wear after receiving the vaccination and encourage them to urge their colleagues to get the vaccination too (“Key Elements of a Model Workplace Safety and Health COVID-19 Vaccination Program”, 2021). The five steps can help the hospital reinforce its efforts to reinforce COVID-19 vaccine confidence.

Vaccination Scheduling

            As established in the risk analysis section of this document, the side effects associated with the vaccine can cause employee shortages. The hospital will, therefore, consider staggering workforce vaccination to avoid employee shortages. Side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine are normal signs that the recipient’s body is building protection against the virus. Whereas most of the people do not experience severe side effects, some individuals may experience severe side effects that may affect their ability to carry out their daily activities. The side effects are especially severe following the second dose. However, it is worth noting that the side effects disappear after a few days. The hospital will provide flexible leave provisions for those who may experience side effects that interfere with their ability to do their work effectively.

            In addition to the leave policy, staggering employee vaccination will prove significantly important for the second dose. Staggering the vaccination will help ensure continuity of the hospital’s operations. The staggering will consider factors such as employees who work in the same department, job category, and shifts. Although this can cause delays in the vaccinating the employees, it will ensure that the hospital does not find itself in a crisis due to worker shortages. The hospital must weigh the decision to stagger the vaccination against potential inconveniences. Notably, the incontinences can cause reduced acceptance of the vaccine. It is, therefore, crucial that the hospital evaluate its specific situation when determining the best scheduling approach. The hospital will also ensure that the scheduling is designed to ensure all the workers r5eceive the recommended number of doses.

Best Practices

            The hospital will model the practices undergirding the COVID-19 vaccination program to align with the CDC’s proposed best practices. The practices include offering flexible, non-punitive leave options for employees experiencing severe side effects after receiving the vaccine. The hospital will, therefore, establish policy provisions that allow workers to take paid leaves in case they experience side effects that affect their ability to conduct their daily activities. Secondly, allowing time for the vaccine confidence to grow. According to the CDC, employees who are hesitant to receive the vaccine at first can become more confident after seeing their colleagues get vaccinated. The hospital will, therefore, offer its employees more than one opportunity for vaccination. For instance, the hospital can have mobile clinics that will visit all the departments multiple times on a rotating schedule. Thirdly, the hospital will ask individuals who are respected by the employees to help build confidence.

Vaccines for Individuals with Allergies

            An immediate reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine occurs within four hours after an individual gets vaccinated. Symptoms of an allergic reaction could include swelling, hives, and respiratory distress. If an individual have previously experienced an allergic reaction to any ingredients in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, they will not receive the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccines. Also if an individual have previously experienced an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen, he/she will not receive the J&J/Janssen vaccine (“Workplace Vaccination Program”, 2021). The staff administering the COVID-19 vaccine at the on-site clinic will ensure to enquire from the recipients if they have experienced allergic reactions to the ingredients of the vaccines to decide which vaccine type to administer.

Vaccination for Temporary Employees and Contractors

            The hospital will also provide vaccine to all its workers working as contractors or temporary employees. According to the CDC, for workers employed by temporary help agencies or contract firms, the host employer and the staffing agency serve as joint employers. As such, both are responsible for providing and maintaining a safe working environment (“Key Elements of a Model Workplace Safety and Health COVID-19 Vaccination Program”, 2021). The scope and responsibility of the host employer and the staffing agency vary depending on the workplace conditions. Given that the temporary employees and the contractors also interact with the rest of the employees and the patients, the hospital will also include them in the vaccination program. The CDC advises organizations that plan to host a vaccination program at their workplace to consider providing the vaccine to all workers, regardless of their status as temporary or contract employees. The most important thing is to encourage all individuals at the workplace to get vaccinated.

Reporting Requirements

            The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration encourage the recipients of vaccines to report side effects to the Vaccine Adverse Reporting System (“Workplace Vaccination Program”, 2021). Besides the Vaccine Adverse Reporting System, the hospital will also encourage its employees to enroll in the “v-safe” platform to report their side effects. V-safe is a smartphone tool implemented by the CDC to evaluate people’s health after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital will make it such that when an employer receive the vaccination, he/she is provided with a v-safe information sheet explaining to them how to enroll in the v-safe platform. After enrolling, they will receive a text message in their phone directing them to a survey where they can report any adverse reactions or problems they experience after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mandate and Proof of Vaccination

            The FDA does not mandate the COVID-19 vaccine under the Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs). However, given the risk posed by the COVID-19 virus, an employer can require that employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine as a measure to provide and maintain employee safety. The hospital must consider the fact that some workers have already received the vaccine or prefer to get vaccinated off-site. The hospital can ask these employees to provide proof that they have received the vaccine from another healthcare provider or pharmacy. However, it is illegal to ask the workers to provide any medical information as part of the proof as it is an infringement to their right to privacy.

Exemption Policy

            The hospital will implement two types of exemptions: medical exemptions and religious exemptions. Medical exemptions apply to people who may be at risk of adverse reaction to the vaccine due to existing medical conditions, allergies, or disability. A worker with disability is entitled to a vaccination exemption as the Americans with Disabilities Act prevents them from talking the influenza vaccine (may be applicable to the COVID-19 vaccine) (“Workplace Vaccination Program”, 2021). On the other hand, religious exemptions apply to individuals who may decline the vaccine due to their sincerely held religious beliefs. Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII, if an employer have received a notice regarding an employee’s sincerely held religious belief, they must make reasonable accommodation to the said worker unless the exemption would pose undue hardship (“Workplace Vaccination Program”, 2021). The employer can however encourage employees who decline the vaccine to change their minds by informing them about the benefits associated with receiving the vaccination. However, an employer will never require/coerce an employee to go against their sincerely held religious beliefs.

Re-Opening the Hospital

            After the entire workforce is fully vaccinated, the hospital may be able to do some of things it had stopped doing due to the pandemic. However, it is worth noting that even after the employees receive the vaccine, they will still have to protect themselves and others in the workplace. The hospital will, therefore, continue to follow CDC’s guidance for businesses and employers responding to COVID-19. The hospital will emphasize that employees wear well fitted masks, wash hands regularly, stay at least six feet apart from each other, and avoid crowds and poor ventilated spaces.

            The hospital will also conduct a thorough assessment of the workplace to identify potential hazards related to COVID-19. Vaccination of the workforce is only one of the consideration for fully reopening the workplace. Other considerations include: The ability of workers to practice social distancing and adhere to other COVID-19 prevention measures such as wearing masks and washing their hands regularly. The necessity of the workers to physically return to the workplace. For employees that can efficiently work from home, the hospital will consider teleworking as an option. Another consideration for fully reopening the workplace the transmission of the COVID-19 virus in the community. That is, how many infections are there and how fast it is spreading. Lastly, local and federal mandates for workplace closure restrictions (“Key Elements of a Model Workplace Safety and Health COVID-19 Vaccination Program”, 2021).

Federal Regulations Regarding the Scheduling of Vaccinations

            Being a hospital, the employees of the organization qualifies as essential workers. Hence, the federal scheduling of the COVID-19 vaccination prioritize health care providers. The federal government encourages businesses and employers. However, they will coordinate with the state and local health officials to get accurate and timely information to inform their responses (“Guidance for Businesses and Employers Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)”, 2020). Notably, the local conditions influence the decisions made by the public health officials regarding community-level strategies. Employers have an obligation to protect the health of their employees

Conclusion

            The hospital has an obligation to provide a safe working environment to it employees. Being at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19, health care workers are at an increased risk of contracting the disease. Given the risk posed by COVID-19 virus, the hospital will consider implementing an on-site vaccination program for all its employees. The decision to have all employees vaccinated can lead to employees suing the hospital arguing that it is infringing on their rights. However, since COVID-19 threatens the safety all the employees, the hospital can argue that the decision is geared towards protecting the workforce against the virus. Additionally, the decision can result to worker shortage especially after employees receive the second dosage of the vaccine. Nonetheless, the hospital will implement the COVID-19 on-site vaccination program to ensure workplace safety. Thorough planning is essential to ensuring that the program is effective. Besides thorough planning the program will also be undergirded by effective policies and procedures. The policies and procedures discussed in this memorandum will help the hospital successfully implement the COVID-19 vaccination program for all its employees.

Scroll to Top