Hospitals and health systems around the District will require all doctors, nurses, and other employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the District of Columbia Hospital Association (DCHA) announced on Wednesday.
“Nearly all health systems and hospitals in the District of Columbia will each set a date after which vaccination against COVID-19 will be a condition of employment,” the hospital association said in a press release.
Hospitals will be able to individually determine their exemptions to the new rule based on medical and religious reasons.
A total of 14 hospitals and health systems are “committed” to take part in the initiative, according to the release.
“The District of Columbia is blessed with a hospital workforce of over 30,000 individuals that provided and continue to provide compassionate and quality care throughout the pandemic,” said Jacqueline Bowens, President and CEO of the DCHA. “This consensus is a reiteration of our hospitals’ commitment to safety by keeping our staff, patients and visitors protected against COVID-19.”
Safety precautions, including social distancing, wearing face masks and personal protective gear, will remain in place at each hospital.
Currently, around 70 percent of all hospital employees in the District are fully vaccinated against the infectious disease, according to the DCHA.
The following hospitals are members of the DCHA:
- BridgePoint Hospital Capitol Hill
- BridgePoint Hospital National Harbor
- Children’s National Hospital
- The George Washington University Hospital
- Howard University Hospital
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
- MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center
- Psychiatric Institute of Washington
- Saint Elizabeths Hospital
- Sibley Memorial Hospital
- United Medical Center
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center