As yet, UMass Memorial Hospital has not implemented a requirement for staff to be vaccinated against COVID. Hospital leaders have already said that they expect to require the vaccine when the Emergency Use Authorization is lifted.
Why Would an Employer Mandate?
Hospitals maintain that the vaccine is good for patients and employees. Research shows that the COVID vaccine is effective at preventing disease and its spread, and at reducing the severity of the disease in the case of breakthrough infection, including, to a good degree, in the case of the existing known variants.
There is pressure from the public for hospitals to require the vaccine. Groups such as The American Medical Association, The Association of American Medical Colleges and this coalition of infectious disease organizations have already endorsed a mandate. Although public opinion about mandates was mixed at the end of 2020, a majority of Massachusetts residents have now been vaccinated, and many patients expect their healthcare providers to be vaccinated, too.
Is a Mandate Legal?
While it may or may not be legal for an employer to mandate the COVID vaccine while it remains in Emergency Use Authorization status, there is legal precedent to require vaccines. Houston Methodist Hospital recently made headlines when a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by employees who objected to a COVID mandate already instituted there.
Here in Massachusetts, a Suffolk Superior Court judge upheld Brigham Women & Children’s Hospital’s flu vaccine mandate in 2017 when it was challenged by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), the union representing Registered Nurses.
What Is SHARE Doing?
SHARE leaders are watching this issue closely, and talking with co-workers about what they think. There is a wide range of opinions about the COVID vaccine in our union of 3000 people, and some opinions are at odds with each other. We’re working to stay on top of the latest information on the topics involved, including the scientific, legal, and ethical issues.
SHARE is also talking consistently with management about what they are going to do about the COVID vaccine. The bottom line is that we want SHARE members to keep their jobs. We will continue to encourage the employer to think responsibly, creatively, and flexibly about any developing vaccine policy.