CVS Requiring COVID-19 Vaccines For Some Employees

WOONSOCKET, RI — CVS Health will require some employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a company spokesperson said Monday.

The Woonsocket-based pharmacy chain said all corporate employees and patient-facing workers, such as nurses, must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31. Pharmacists working in retail store have until Nov. 30 to get the vaccine. A company spokesperson said other employees could be included in the mandate at a later date.

"From the start of the pandemic, our decision-making process has been driven by health, safety and science," said CVS CEO Karen Lynch said in a statement. "While the vast majority of our employees have chosen to be vaccinated, this decision is in direct response to the dramatic rise in cases among the unvaccinated."

Patient-facing roles that will require proof of vaccination include nurses, care managers and pharmacists.

A company spokesperson said CVS Health has administered more than 30 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, and the pharmacy "is fully prepared to play a leading role in providing booster shots."