Friday is the deadline for MU Health Care workers to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 or potentially lose their jobs.
As of Thursday afternoon, more than 9,000 MU Health Care employees had shown proof of vaccination or claimed an exemption, MU Health Care spokesperson Eric Maze wrote in an email. That figure works out to about a 95% vaccination rate among workers, he said.
Maze emphasized this number is not reflective of all vaccinations, as workers continue to submit documentation. Those who have not been fully vaccinated yet will still have Friday to receive their vaccination and present documentation as proof.
Those who do not show proof of full vaccination or an approved exemption could be subject to “disciplinary actions up to and including termination,” Maze wrote. This is consistent with MU Heath Care policy on other vaccines such as influenza.
Approved exemptions include medical and religious concerns over the vaccine.
According to previous Missourian reporting, the mandate could affect between 10,000 and 11,000 people. This number includes MU Health Care faculty, staff and students, as well as vendors who work with MU Health Care.
When a similar mandate was enacted at Truman Medical Center/University Health in Kansas City, only 39 of about 5,000 employees resigned over the vaccination, according to news reports.
Maze said that in the case of a large number of last-minute vaccinations, current vaccination facilities can accommodate the increase.
“The great thing about MU Health Care is that we have a dedicated vaccination site on Keene Street, where we are able to provide the Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech doses,” Maze said. “We’re not concerned about any surge in desire for vaccination, not only for our employees, but for the community. We have a great system in place, and we’re very confident we can handle the demand.”
