Henry Ford To Begin Requiring COVID Vaccines For All Employees

DETROIT — Henry Ford Health System will require the COVID-19 vaccination for its workers, the health system announced Tuesday.

The new requirement will take effect on Sept. 10 and applies to all team members, students, volunteers and contractors, the health system said in its announcement.

Henry Ford becomes the first health system in Michigan to require the COVID-19 vaccination.

“We acknowledge the magnitude of this decision and we did not make it lightly,” Henry Ford President and CEO Wright Lassiter III said. “As a leader and trusted voice in our communities, our patients and members depend on us to create a safe, healthy environment. We owe that same promise to our team members. Safety and infection prevention are everyone’s responsibility.”

COVID-19 admissions across all Henry Ford’s hospitals are currently around 20, the lowest number since the early days of the pandemic, according to data provided by the health system. Regardless, emerging variants such as the Delta variant put those who are unvaccinated at extremely high risk for hospitalization and death and leave hospitals vulnerable to potential future surges, the health system said.

“We have consistently advocated for vaccination as the best path forward for all of us,” said Bob Riney, President of Healthcare Operations and Chief Operating Officer. “But for vaccinations to truly make a deep and lasting impact on this pandemic, we need everyone in this fight. There is no greater compassion we can show each other than to be vigilant about safety and preventing the spread of this devastating disease.”

The decision to require a COVID-19 vaccination is consistent with the existing vaccination policy at Henry Ford, officials said. Team members are required to get a flu shot every year.