The V.A. becomes the first federal agency to institute a requirement for Covid-19 shots.
Depending on where you work, getting a Covid-19 vaccine may soon become a requirement for keeping your job. As vaccination rates stall in many parts of the country, calls to require the shot in the workplace are growing louder, and some employers are already taking that step.
Can your job mandate a Covid-19 vaccine?
Vaccine mandates are a hotly debated subject, but companies are legally allowed to implement them, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There can be some exceptions: If an employee can’t get vaccinated because of a disability or a religious belief, for example, they may be entitled to another option, which might include regular Covid testing. And if you’re wondering whether these mandates might violate HIPAA, that privacy law specifically pertains to what your health provider can share with others, rather than what information your employer can ask you for.
Health groups make a push
The American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, and more than 50 similar groups came together Monday in support of a universal vaccine mandate for workers in health and long-term care, which they called “the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment” of medical professionals. Their statement also included an appeal for similar steps in other industries: “We hope all other employers across the country will follow our lead and implement effective policies to encourage vaccination.”
The V.A. institutes a vaccine mandate
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced more than 100,000 of its frontline healthcare workers will have eight weeks to get vaccinated or face penalties, including possible removal from their positions. The V.A. is the first federal agency to enact such a mandate, which will apply to doctors, dentists, nurses, physician assistants, and some specialists. The secretary of Veterans Affairs, Denis McDonough, stated his reasoning plainly: “I am doing this because it’s the best way to keep our veterans safe, full stop.”
New York and California will require vaccines in some industries
Municipal workers in New York City and state employees in California will also be required to get vaccinated or submit to weekly Covid tests. While it’s not exactly a vaccine mandate, since workers can opt for the regular testing instead, officials hope the inconvenience of the weekly testing option will push more staff to get the shot.
Vax studies expand
Meanwhile, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna announced they will expand the breadth of their research on the vaccine’s effects in children aged 5 to 11. The shift comes at the FDA’s urging, over concerns that the initially proposed size and scope of these studies weren’t enough to properly detect rare side effects, such as inflammation in the heart.
