Knoxville-area hospitals require all employees to be vaccinated by Jan. 4

Knoxville area hospitals have come together, as they did several times over the course of the pandemic, to announce they are requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4.

The following hospitals will be mandating COVID-19 vaccines for their employees, according to a news release:

› Blount Memorial Hospital.

› Covenant Health.

› East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

› Sweetwater Hospital Association.

› University of Tennessee Medical Center.

A COVID-19 vaccine is required for any hospital participating in federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Hospitals that refuse to comply with the mandate could face severe penalties, including revoking access to Medicare funding.

Unlike employees at private businesses that have to follow federal OSHA guidelines, those who work at nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from certain medical assistance programs cannot opt out of vaccination by getting regularly tested.

The hospitals will allow for medical and religious exemptions. The mandate applies to nearly everyone working at the hospital regularly, including:

› Clinical staff.

› Nonclinical staff.

› Medical staff.

› Students.

› Volunteers.

› Contract employees.

› Vendors. According to the news release, most employees at the hospitals are already fully vaccinated.

“Our desire is to work with all our team members to move toward compliance with the federal rule through our vaccination and exemption process. Throughout all episodes of care, our hospital organizations are steadfast in our commitment to provide the care needed for our patients and our communities,” the news release said.

On Wednesday, 58.46% of Knox County residents had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.