St. Francis awaiting full FDA approval before mandating staff receive COVID-19 vaccine
St. Francis-Emory Healthcare does not plan to require its staff members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 until a vaccine gains full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, a company spokesperson told the Ledger-Enquirer Monday evening.
“At this time, St. Francis – Emory Healthcare is strongly encouraging all of our team members to take the COVID-19 vaccine. ... We will continue to evaluate our procedures and closely follow guidance from our local, state and federal partners in public health,” Emily Sereck, a spokesperson for Lifepoint Health, said in an email. Lifepoint and Emory Healthcare own St. Francis as a joint venture.
St. Francis-Emory Healthcare provides services from its 376-bed facility and physician practices, offering inpatient, outpatient and emergency room services. They employ around 2,400 people in the Columbus area.
The statement comes a week after Piedmont Healthcare announced it is requiring managers, physicians, providers and new employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Sept. 1 “with a few rare exceptions.” The policy will extend to all staff in the near future, spokesperson Jessica Roberts previously told the L-E.
Three COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized by the FDA only for emergency use, but Pfizer’s vaccine was granted priority review designation to their application for full approval of their COVID-19 vaccine. An FDA official told CNN that full approval is likely to come within two months.
Companies are legally allowed to require that employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order in May that bans state government agencies from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. The order doesn’t extend to private businesses.