Henry Ford Health System is the first in Michigan to announce it is requiring all 33,000 of its employees, as well as students, volunteers and contractors, to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
“We acknowledge the magnitude of this decision and we did not make it lightly,” said president and CEO Wright Lassiter III in a statement issued Tuesday. “As a leader and trusted voice in our communities, our patients and members depend on us to create a safe, healthy environment. We owe that same promise to our team members. Safety and infection prevention are everyone’s responsibility.”
To be considered vaccinated, workers must have had two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer coronavirus vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The requirement includes employees who work remotely.
The mandate will take effect Sept. 10, though the goal is for workers who plan to have the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna series to get the first shot by Aug. 10 to ensure completion by the deadline, said Dr. Dennis Cunningham, medical director of infection prevention for the health system.
