Healthcare workers in Washington, D.C. are required to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 30, Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Health have announced.
The requirement comes as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in D.C. and across the country. Nearly 620,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and there were nearly 37 million cases reported in the last 30 days in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All licensed, certified and registered health professionals are impacted by the mandate. Vaccines, alongside mask-wearing and social distancing, are the best tools the public health community has to fight the spread of the virus and worsening of the pandemic.
“As we continue to see a rise in the numbers of positive cases among unvaccinated persons across the city, it is necessary that we ensure all health care workers in the District are vaccinated to decrease the spread of COVID-19,” LaQuandra Nesbitt, MD, director of DC Health, said in a statement. “This new mandate can reduce the likelihood of a COVID-19 outbreak in healthcare settings and among vulnerable populations.”
The requirement also applies to all EMS providers, including paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs), as well as all unlicensed health professionals, such as patient care technicians, personal care aides and environmental services staff.
Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine or the Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are required. However, “healthcare professionals may be exempt due to religious beliefs or medical conditions,” the mayor’s office stated.
The requirement also comes as a significant portion of healthcare professionals have signaled reluctance to get vaccinated. A recent survey from the American Medical Association shows 96% of physicians are vaccinated against COVID-19, but other types of health professionals have yet to achieve the same threshold. Healthcare companies have also struggled over vaccine mandates due to reluctance from their workforce to get vaccinated. In March, as many as one in three healthcare workers said they were hesitant to get the vaccine.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."