Yesterday, EmblemHealth and its provider partner AdvantageCare Physicians made an important announcement to its employees that reflects its commitment as a health care company to do all it can to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Effective now, any employed individuals entering one of its facilities must be vaccinated by Oct. 31. In addition, anyone doing business on behalf of the company at an external meeting or event must also be vaccinated by the deadline.
In announcing this policy, CEO Karen Ignagni said the following, “ We are continuing to see the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths rise across the country. This is a troubling situation that calls upon all of us to do everything we can to protect ourselves, each other, and the people we serve. Our federal, state, and local authorities, as well as the private sector, have begun to shift the dialogue on vaccinations from one of encouragement to making it a requirement. This is due largely to two reasons: the Delta variant has proven to be much more contagious and data shows the efficacy of these vaccines in reducing severe illness, hospitalization, and that death from this virus declines over time.” Ignagni added, “With team members spread across multiple locations, in the field, in their homes, or other office spaces, it is incumbent on us to implement an enterprise policy that demonstrates our mission and commitment as a health care company to create safe spaces.”