Spectrum Health has announced it will require the COVID-19 vaccine for team members, medical staff, students, volunteers, and contractors. The hospital system says the evidence and clinical results show the vaccine reduces the risk for hospitalization and death by more than 95%, more than 99% of all deaths from COVID-19 infection are in unvaccinated persons, and delta variant has been reported as 225% more transmissible than the original COVID-19 virus from 2019. Spectrum Health infectious disease specialist Liam Sullivan says the “delta variant of COVID-19 is causing significant increases in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in areas across the country where vaccination rates are low. We encourage people to be vaccinated, in consultation with their physician’s advice.” Spectrum Health says it will require the COVID-19 vaccine within eight weeks of the FDA approving the first vaccine and will consider exemptions as required by law. It may decide to act more quickly if it sees a risk to team member and public health as a result of the delta variant or subsequent variants.
