Cone Health, Novant Health, Wake Forest Baptist Health are among those requiring employees get vaccinated. Author: Megan Allman (WFMY News 2 Digital), Tom Santaniello Published: 1:29 PM EDT July 22, 2021 Updated: 9:38 PM EDT July 22, 2021
GREENSBORO, N.C. Six major North Carolina hospital groups announced Thursday that all employees must get the COVID-19 vaccine, including the three hospital systems in the Triad - Cone Health, Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health.
Atrium Health, Duke Health and UNC Health hospitals will also require employees to be immunized against COVID-19, according to a release from the North Carolina Healthcare Association.
Hospital officials said this comes as the Delta variant continues to spread and vaccination rates in North Carolina are at a standstill.
WCCB Charlotte s CW
July 22, 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. Six North Carolina health systems announced on Thursday that they will be among the first in the state to require their employees to get vaccinated for COVID.
Atrium Health, Cone Health, Duke University Health System, Novant Health, Wake Forest Baptist Health and the following UNC Health hospitals – UNC Medical Center, UNC Rex, UNC Johnston, UNC Chatham, UNC Rockingham and UNC Southeastern – are among the six committing to this requirement.
Their joint announcement comes after the North Carolina Healthcare Association released a statement to say they support COVID-19 requirements for all healthcare employees.
Health officials say exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis for specific religious and medical reasons.
Five North Carolina hospital systems will now require all of their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Atrium Health, Novant Health, Cone Health, Duke Health and Wake Forest Baptist made the announcement on Thursday, according to a news release from the North Carolina Healthcare Association. Six UNC Health hospitals UNC Medical Center, UNC Rex, UNC Johnston, UNC Chatham, UNC Rockingham and UNC Southeastern will also make vaccines mandatory.
“As we all know, vaccination is the single most effective tool we have to stop the spread of this virus and keep the patients in our care safe from COVID-19,” leaders of Charlotte-based Atrium Health wrote in an email sent to employees, which the hospital system provided to WFAE.
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