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W. Va. Hospitals Begin To Require Staff Get Vaccinated

The West Virginia Hospital Association announced Monday that it supports any health provider’s decision to mandate staff get vaccinated.

“We want every West Virginian to get their vaccination,” said WVHA President Jim Kaufman

Anticipating that news, some big hospital systems quickly followed suit. WVU Medicineannounced Monday all staff must be fully vaccinated by October 31. Mon Health Systems also issued vaccine requirements. Smaller hospitals are also joining in.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a full authorization of the Pfizer vaccine Monday. That means it is no longer under emergency use authorization. The Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are still under emergency use authorizations.

Kaufman believes the FDA’s decision will also prompt more health providers to issue vaccine requirements.

“I think you’re going to see more and more [providers] come out and do this,” Kaufman said.

VA hospitals in West Virginia already have this requirement under a federal order.

Nursing homes that receive federal funding will soon have to vaccinate their entire staff, Joe Biden announced last week.

Some nursing homes have concerns that they will lose some of their staff, which is already in short supply, according to national and local news outlets.

Copyright 2021 West Virginia Public Broadcasting

June Leffler