(WWJ) -- Two of Michigan’s largest health systems are requiring all employees, volunteers and medical providers at their hospitals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Beaumont Health and West Michigan-based Spectrum Health both announced the mandates Wednesday, joining at least two other Michigan health systems -- Henry Ford Health System in Detroit and Livonia-based Trinity Health -- in requiring vaccinations.
The mandates come as the U.S. continues to see a surge in the Delta variant of the virus, causing some states to re-implement face mask requirements.
Beaumont says in a press release “due to the rapid spread of the highly contagious new Delta variant among unvaccinated people and to protect the safety of patients, employees and providers, Beaumont Health will make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all employees and providers who practice medicine or work at Beaumont facilities.”
Beaumont and Spectrum officials both say the mandate will go into effect after the FDA fully approves one or more of the current vaccines, which is expected to happen some time in early fall.
“However, if the positive rate for the surrounding communities begins to spike or Beaumont experiences a fourth pandemic surge, the COVID-19 vaccine will be mandated before full FDA approval,” officials said.
Beaumont employees will be required to be fully vaccinated within six weeks of FDA approval, while Spectrum employees will have eight weeks to get vaccinated.
“Team members who do not meet exemptions and refuse to get vaccinated will initially be suspended,” Beaumont says. “Those who choose not to be vaccinated will no longer be allowed to work at Beaumont. Additional details regarding Beaumont’s policy will be shared in the coming weeks.”
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Beaumont CEO John Fox says the health system has “a duty to protect our patients and our staff.”
“The Delta variant is the most contagious form of COVID-19,” Fox said. “It spreads much faster than the original version of the virus. We want all Beaumont team members to stay healthy. The vaccine is the only safe and effective way to truly protect against COVID-19.”
Royal Oak-based Beaumont has roughly 33,000 total employees, and Spectrum has about 31,000.
A spokesman says about 70 percent of Spectrum's onsite staff are vaccinated.
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