All Mercy Health System workers will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September, according to a press release.The deadline comes as the delta variant spreads across Arkansas and neighboring states.”The majority of Mercy patients recently hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been vaccinated,” according to the news release. Mercy is a health system with dozens of acute care and specialty hospitals as well as over 700 physician and outpatient clinics in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas, according to its website.It has 44,000 employees. The administration says that their vaccination rate is at 75%, and 25% are not vaccinated. “As health care leaders in our communities, it is important we set the standard to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Vaccination is our best defense against the virus and already has provided many of our co-workers with the protection they need to care for our patients,” according to the news release. Here locally, representatives from Mercy hospitals wanted to talk on camera.Today, a news conference was held in Springfield with their Mercy president.Brent Hubbard with Mercy hospitals in Springfield said they are now mandating the vaccine because it has proven to be safe and effective. Hubbard also noting today that flu vaccinations have been required for Mercy for the past seven-plus years. Today, Hubbard was asked what disciplinary action could take place for those who do not get the vaccine. He said they could suspend those workers, but they would like to avoid that as Mercy will work with co-workers to develop a plan to get vaccinated by the scheduled deadline. “So, we have a short window to act, we have an obligation as a healthcare system to protect the health of our communities. We have been strong advocates of the vaccine so we are leading by example,” Brent Hubbard, president for Mercy Springfield said.40/29 News did speak with several Mercy staff today who wanted to stay anonymous, but they said this decision now puts their job on the line and they are upset about this mandate. Arkansas is losing ground against COVID-19 so far this month, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday.Hutchinson blamed the delta variant and a low state vaccine rate. Only one of Arkansas’s 75 counties met the governor’s vaccination goal of having 50% or more of the population vaccinated. All but Bradley County missed the mark.
FORT SMITH, Ark. —
All Mercy Health System workers will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September, according to a press release.
The deadline comes as the delta variant spreads across Arkansas and neighboring states.
“The majority of Mercy patients recently hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been vaccinated,” according to the news release.
Mercy is a health system with dozens of acute care and specialty hospitals as well as over 700 physician and outpatient clinics in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas, according to its website.
It has 44,000 employees. The administration says that their vaccination rate is at 75%, and 25% are not vaccinated.
“As health care leaders in our communities, it is important we set the standard to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Vaccination is our best defense against the virus and already has provided many of our co-workers with the protection they need to care for our patients,” according to the news release.
Here locally, representatives from Mercy hospitals wanted to talk on camera.
Today, a news conference was held in Springfield with their Mercy president.
Brent Hubbard with Mercy hospitals in Springfield said they are now mandating the vaccine because it has proven to be safe and effective.
Hubbard also noting today that flu vaccinations have been required for Mercy for the past seven-plus years.
Today, Hubbard was asked what disciplinary action could take place for those who do not get the vaccine.
He said they could suspend those workers, but they would like to avoid that as Mercy will work with co-workers to develop a plan to get vaccinated by the scheduled deadline.
“So, we have a short window to act, we have an obligation as a healthcare system to protect the health of our communities. We have been strong advocates of the vaccine so we are leading by example,” Brent Hubbard, president for Mercy Springfield said.
40/29 News did speak with several Mercy staff today who wanted to stay anonymous, but they said this decision now puts their job on the line and they are upset about this mandate.
Arkansas is losing ground against COVID-19 so far this month, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday.
Hutchinson blamed the delta variant and a low state vaccine rate.
Only one of Arkansas’s 75 counties met the governor’s vaccination goal of having 50% or more of the population vaccinated. All but Bradley County missed the mark.