Hospital association supports mandatory vaccinations

The American Hospital Association’s board of trustees this week approved a policy statement endorsing mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for health care workers.

“The evidence is clear: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in reducing both the risk of becoming infected and spreading the virus to others,” Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the Washington-based AHA, said in the statement posted Monday. 

“The AHA supports hospitals and health systems that choose, based on local factors, to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for their workforce. Doing so will help protect the health and well-being of health care personnel and the patients and communities they proudly serve.”

The move is in line with a nationwide trend that some hospital systems are still grappling with.