Geisinger became the latest major Schuylkill County employer to require its workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
In an announcement on Wednesday, Geisinger says its employees must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15.
Geisinger is the latest company to require local workers to get the COVID shot or get fired. It joins Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke’s in mandating the vaccine among employees.
State government workers in congregate settings must also either get vaccinated or submit to regular testing in order to stay employed.
Geisinger Requires Employees Get COVID-19 Vaccine
This mandate applies to current and new employees at Geisinger, including:
- Faculty
- Medical staff
- Residents
- Fellows
- Temporary workers
- Trainees
- Volunteers
- Students
- Temporary staff (regardless of employer)
No small amount of Geisinger employees now face this decision. The company says about 70% of its employees are currently vaccinated against COVID-19.
This decision comes after companies like Geisinger, LVHN, and St. Luke’s promoted their employees as “frontline heroes” through the course of the COVID pandemic. To require employees to get vaccinated while only 1 of the 3 available has actually been approved by the Food and Drug Administration could be seen as a rather cruel decision.
Geisinger president and CEO Jaewon Ryu says to the contrary, “Based on overwhelming evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, we believe this is the right decision at the right time to protect our patients and employees and slow the spread of this deadly virus in our communities.
“Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our employees have worked tirelessly, under challenging and unprecedented circumstances to continue delivering world-class care to our friends and neighbors, and this now includes requiring our employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine,” Ryu says.
Geisinger says that its employees are already required to be vaccinated against flu, measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, and other ailments.
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Photo: Depositphotos
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