Vaccines Now Required For MetroHealth Staff, Employees

CLEVELAND — All MetroHealth employees and staff will need to complete the COVID-19 vaccination process by Oct. 30, the health system announced Thursday.

The policy will extend to contractors and volunteers, hospital system leaders said. More than 80 percent of MetroHealth staff are already vaccinated.

“Protecting caregivers against COVID-19 is the right thing to do,” said MetroHealth President and CEO Dr. Akram Boutros. “Our profession has been hailed as heroic because we were there when there was no protection from this disease. We cared for people and put ourselves at risk. We don’t have to do that anymore. We can and have to take care of our patients and ourselves.”

MetroHealth officials noted they already require annual flu vaccinations, as well as vaccinations against measles, mumps and rubella as a condition of employment. Exceptions will be made for people unable to be vaccinated due to medical or religious reasons.

“We stand united to keep our patients, staff, and community safe by giving the best protection possible against COVID-19,” said Dr. Amy Ray, medical director of infection prevention. “Every employee in our organization deserves the greatest protection available so that every patient who crosses our doors can be assured of safety.”

All new and current employees must be fully vaccinated or receive a medical or religious exemption by Oct. 30. Those who refuse the vaccine could be fired.