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July 1, 2021

Yale New Haven Health to require COVID vaccine for all 28,500 workers

PHOTO | New Haven Biz Yale New Haven Hospital
By Liese Klein

New Haven's largest employer, Yale New Haven Health, will soon require all of its workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine, executives announced Wednesday.

“We will be joining I believe many, if not all, the other hospital-based providers in implementing mandatory vaccinations going forward,” CEO Marna Borgstrom said in a live-streamed news conference. “We believe that as healthcare providers it’s just consistent with our role.”

Currently 81% of  Yale New Haven Health’s 28,500 employees are vaccinated, and the system’s goal is to get to 100%, said Dr. Tom Balcezak, chief clinical officer.

“I think this is the right thing to do,” Balcezak said. “These vaccines are incredibly effective, they are very safe.”

The system ‒ which consists of Yale New Haven Hospital, hospitals in Bridgeport, Greenwich, New London and Westerly, R.I., plus Northeast Medical Group ‒ will implement its new vaccination policy in the next few weeks.

Exemptions will be allowed for religious reasons and limited health reasons, although existing COVID-19 vaccines do not pose the allergy risks that allow some to decline flu vaccines, Balcezak said.

 The system will work through its occupational health division to enforce the vaccination policy and employees who refuse or fail to qualify for exemptions could face removal from patient-facing roles or other sanctions.

“We know that there’s some hesitancy that exists,” Borgstrom said. “We do feel that we have an obligation to keep our patients, our visitors and one another safe.”

Yale New Haven Health was treating only 13 patients positive for COVID-19 throughout the system as of Wednesday, for a total of 13,300 COVID cases since the pandemic started.

The system will continue to close mass vaccination sites in its coverage area while maintaining access at smaller locations.

“What we have seen is a real dropoff in the demand for vaccination,” Balcezak said. “We just don’t have the demand, unfortunately, to keep our large sites open.”

Contact Liese Klein at news@newhavenbiz.com

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