Genesis HealthCare Mandates Company-Wide COVID-19 Vaccinations

Genesis HealthCare has implemented a “universal” COVID-19 vaccination requirement for its employees, care partners and onsite vendors, the post-acute care provider announced Tuesday.

The policy requires that individuals have a single dose of the Janssen vaccine or the first dose of a two-dose mRNA vaccine by Aug. 23. The second dose, if applicable, would be needed by Sept. 22.

Genesis CEO Harry Wilson said in a statement that moving toward universal vaccination “is an incredibly important decision” and any competing concerns were “very seriously weighed.”

Operators have had to balance concerns regarding ongoing staffing shortages with a need to increase staff vaccination levels to protect its residents who are at greater risk of severe illness if they contract COVID-19.

The average vaccination rate among SNF workers nationwide is 58.6%, according to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The percentage of residents who are vaccinated, according to CMS, sits at 81.3%.

“Despite vaccination rates above the national average, the growing spread of the Delta variant makes clear that we need to increase our vaccination rates substantially to better protect our patients, residents and employees,” Wilson said.

“While we would have greatly preferred a strictly voluntary process, our commitment to health and safety outweighs concerns about imposing a requirement. Universal COVID-19 vaccination provides the safest and most effective course of action to ensure the health and welfare of our patients, residents and staff,” he added.

Wilson was named CEO in March, replacing Robert Fish in the role after less than three months on the job.

Genesis at the end of 2020 started voluntarily vaccinating patients, residents and employees. At this point company-wide, 65% of staff and 85% of patients have been vaccinated, according to the release.

There are two potential exemptions for an employee who chooses not to get the vaccine: medical or religious, according to a Genesis spokesperson. If an exemption is not granted, the unvaccinated individual could be subject to termination.

Just last week, senior advocacy group LeadingAge called for vaccine mandates among long-term care providers. LeadingAge also signed a separate joint statement with more than 40 other health associations drawing attention to the need for mandatory vaccines.

“As COVID-19 variants emerge and proliferate, we can start saving more lives today by ensuring staff are fully vaccinated,” Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, said in a statement. “By mandating these highly effective vaccines, they will be doing everything possible to deliver safe, quality care to the older adults and others they serve.”

The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (AMDA), along with the American Hospital Association (AHA), made similar calls to mandate the vaccine among health care workers.

And the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) late last week strongly urged vaccination for all health care workers and said it would support all providers that adopt mandatory policies.

“The pandemic has already exacerbated workforce challenges that long term care providers [have] faced for years. Vaccine mandates may further challenge providers trying to recruit and retain a qualified workforce. We renew our call for state and federal governments to enact solutions to help address these long-standing workforce challenges,” AHCA/NCAL said in its statement.