Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Program For Connecticut Children's Team Members - Updated July 27, 2021
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination
Program For Connecticut Children’s
Team Members
Updated July 27, 2021Connecticut Children’s Mandatory COVID Vaccination Program
Introduction
At Connecticut Children’s, all of our team members, clinical and non-clinical, are critical to our
collective efforts in keeping our patients, their families and each other safe.
After the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) endorsed mandatory, universal COVID-19
vaccination for hospital and health system employees and related clinical staff in June of 2021,
our leadership team is making the COVID-19 vaccine a requirement for all of our team members.
This step is particularly important for our organization, as approximately 66% of our patients are
under the age of 12, and therefore, not eligible to receive the vaccine.
Scope
The mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement applies to all staff of Connecticut Children’s.
The term staff includes employees, licensed independent practitioners (e.g., physicians, APRNs,
PAs, etc), students, volunteers, contracted and traveling staff in all locations (including those
who work primarily in Massachusetts and New York), as well as team members who work from
home, including those who work out-of- state. Staff employed by the University of Connecticut
and working at the Farmington NICU are exempt from this program requirement because they
are university personnel, although we strongly encourage them to become vaccinated to protect
our most vulnerable patients.
Vaccination Requirement
Connecticut Children’s requires that all staff provide evidence of full vaccination against COVID-
19 by October 7, 2021. Fully vaccinated is defined as:
Two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
Single dose of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine
Documentation of Vaccination
Acceptable documentation is any of the following:
1. A copy of the white COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card that recipients were given
upon administration of the COVID-19 vaccination.
2. A copy of the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) proof of
immunization (certificate) available on your VAMS account.
3. Official copy of their immunization record from the clinic where they received the
vaccine (e.g., Target, CVS, Walmart).
4. Copy of My Chart vaccination record.
2Loss of Official Documentation
1. If you have lost your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, you may log into VAMS to
view or download your Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination. The VAMS manual can
help you.
If you received your card at one of Connecticut Children’s onsite vaccine
clinics and you are having trouble accessing your VAMS account, you can send
a request to questions@connecticutchildrens.org. Please include a phone
number where you can be reached easily. Note that it may take several days
to respond to your request, so please plan accordingly.
2. You may also contact your vaccination provider to get another card.
3. Finally, you may call the Department of Public Health (DPH) at (860) 509-7929 to
request your Official Immunization Certificate from the CT Immunization Information
System (CT WiZ) at the Department of Public Health.
COVID Vaccination Availability
Our goal is to make it as easy and convenient as possible for our team members to protect
themselves, each other and our patients against COVID-19 by receiving the vaccine. You may
receive the vaccine at an internal (onsite) Connecticut Children’s clinic or at any external (offsite)
clinic location that is convenient for you.
1. Connecticut Children’s Internal (Onsite) Clinics for Team Members
a. First-dose clinics will opens to team members on August 18, 2021 and August 25,
2021, and second dose clinics will open on September 8, 2021 and September 15,
2021.
2. External (Offsite) Clinics
a. Use Vaccines.gov add hyperlink to find a location near you, then call or visit
their website to make an appointment.
b. Many COVID-19 vaccination locations are available at hospital centers,
pharmacies and big box stores (e.g., CVS or Walgreens).
Process for COVID-19 Vaccine Exemptions and Deferments
Exemptions
Exemptions will be made on an individualized basis for the following reasons:
1. Medical contraindications
2. Religious Reasons
Sincerely held religious or spiritual beliefs. If an employee has already
received approval for a religious exemption from the annual flu vaccine during
the 2020-2021 flu season, this waiver will be recognized for the COVID-19
vaccine as well (i.e., no additional form is needed).
By August 13, 2021, any team member requesting an exemption must submit a written
Waiver Request, using the following medical and/or religious exemption forms:
Medical exemption request form
3 Religious exemption request form
Exemptions for COVID vaccination will be rare. All medical requests will be reviewed by a
Medical Advisory Committee through Occupational Health Services. This review
committee will approve or deny the request and ensure that it is documented.
All religious waiver requests will be reviewed by the Connecticut Children’s Legal Team in
coordination with the Human Resources and Infection Prevention Departments. This
team will make a recommendation to approve the religious belief exemption request or
not, and ensure it is documented.
3. Deferments
The Connecticut Children’s Medical Waiver Committee may consider some
conditions for a deferment of the vaccination to a later date. These conditions are
not considered medical contraindications to COVID-19 vaccination, but may be
reviewed for possible deferment of the vaccination to a later date:
o Pregnancy: Pregnancy is considered a period of increased risk for severe
COVID-19. There is considerable data that COVID-19 vaccines are safe in
pregnancy, and the OB Professional societies have recommended that
vaccines be offered to individuals who are or may become pregnant.
However, some individuals in consultation with their obstetrician,
pediatrician, and/or midwife might prefer to defer their vaccination until
after childbirth.
o Medication-induced immunocompromised states, especially when the
medication is temporary and the vaccine is predicted to have better efficacy
with future administration.
o Prior positive COVID-19 test: If an individual tests positive for COVID-19
prior to their first vaccine, they should wait 4 weeks before getting their first
vaccine dose (or 90 days if they received treatment with Monoclonal
Antibody Infusion).
o If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 after the first vaccine but prior
to the second vaccine, they should wait 10 days from the positive test (or 90
days if they received treatment with Monoclonal Antibody Infusion) and be
fully recovered and non-infectious before receiving the second dose.
o Upcoming surgery: If an individual is scheduled for an upcoming surgery,
they should consult with the surgeon or their regular clinician to ask if their
vaccination should be scheduled to a later date.
Exemption Recipients
Unvaccinated team members will be required to wear a mask at all times when on a Connecticut
Children’s property, except when eating or drinking. Unvaccinated team members must limit
exposure to others when eating by assuring they are at least six (6) feet apart.
4Any appeals will be directed to the SVP of Human Resources and Chief Executive Officer of the
health system.
Mandatory COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Requirement
The need and timing for a COVID-19 vaccine booster has not been yet been determined by
public health and medical experts. Clinical leaders at Connecticut Children’s will continue to
monitor and update team members over time. If the FDA and/or CDC provide guidance that
boosters are required to combat variants and to keep us safe, we will make them mandatory on
the schedule recommended by the FDA and/or CDC.
CT Children’s Deadlines for Compliance
DATE ACTION REQUIRED
Applications for medical and religious/spiritual beliefs
August 13, 2021
waivers due
All team members who submitted medical and/or
August 27, 2021 religious exemption requests will be notified of
Connecticut Children’s decision to approve/deny the
request by this date.
Last day to receive Dose 1 of Pfizer or Moderna COVID
September 7th
vaccine to meet mandatory vaccine requirement
Final day for staff to receive Dose 2 of Pfizer or
Moderna COVID vaccine.
October 7, 2021
Final day for staff who choose to receive the one-dose
vaccine (J&J/Janssen).
Final day for all team members/medical staff to submit
their record of COVID-19 vaccine
Unpaid suspension of team members who do not have an
approved waiver for medical or religious/spiritual reasons
October 8-15, 2021 and have not provided proof of vaccination. Team
members may return with documentation of COVID
vaccination (Second dose of M-RNA or single dose of J&J)
Names of non-compliant individuals will be presented to
Human Resources. They will determine the necessary
After October 15, 2021
steps, which includes termination of employment.
Staff, Medical/Surgical Staff Leaves of Absence
Team members who are on FMLA or other excused leaves of absence during the
vaccination campaign, and who are unable to meet the immunization requirements by
the October 77, 2021 deadline, are expected to provide proof of COVID-19 immunization
5or submit a request for and receive approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to
return to work.
Students (e.g., medical, nursing, allied health, shadows)
Students are required to receive COVID-19 vaccination prior to beginning their rotation
at Connecticut Children’s and submit proof of vaccination to their preceptor. Required
vaccination.
Volunteers:
COVID-19 vaccination is a condition for volunteering. Volunteers without proof of
immunization will be denied access to the facility. Required vaccination.
Contractor/Vendors:
Companies will be informed that all vendors must be vaccinated. Security will ask about
vaccination status. Temperature screening and masking requirement stands at 282
Washington Street campus.
Team Members must meet the requirements or have a medical or religious exemption approved
prior to their start date.
Guidelines for Implementation
Implementation of the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination program will be facilitated by the
Department of Infection Prevention at Connecticut Children’s. A COVID Vaccination Team may
be impaneled to plan for the implementation of the program. The COVID Vaccination Team will
be chaired by the Hospital Epidemiologist and will be facilitated by an appointed CI specialist.
Members will consist of representatives from Marketing Communications, Human Resources,
Infectious Diseases, Information Services, Legal, Medical Staff, Occupational Health, &
Pharmacy. The COVID, and such other departments as may be deemed necessary or desirable
Vaccination Team will develop and forward recommendations to Connecticut Children’s EMT
Leadership regarding the mandatory COVID vaccination program. The COVID team will
incorporate local level feedback in developing the program. Infection Prevention will serve as
the Liaison to OHS. The COVID Vaccination Team reserves the right to modify this program at
any time, with approval from EMT Leadership, in keeping with the most up-to-date public health
guidance and industry standards.
Education
Local level education on COVID-19 vaccination must be provided consistent with applicable
standards. Education must be directed to all staff and must provide information on the COVID-
19 vaccine, non-vaccine control and prevention measures, and the diagnosis, transmission, and
impact of COVID-19. Content will be created or approved by the Infectious Diseases/ and or
Infection Prevention Departments. The education may be provided in the manner determined as
most effective by EMT and local level leadership.
Data Collection and Reporting
6A means of collecting and reporting data on COVID-19 vaccination status on all staff members
for the purpose of compliance, as well as aggregate reporting to the organization, will be
implemented by QPS in a manner that respects team members’ right to privacy. Information
regarding team members’ individual vaccination status will be kept confidential and separate
from the team member’s personnel file, and will be shared only on a need-to-know basis.
Medical and religious exemption requests are only reviewed by Occupational Health and our
Legal team who will keep team members’ information confidential and will not share specific
details with their managers. If a team member’s request is approved, their manager will be
notified that they are exempt from the COVID-19 vaccine requirement. But, but the specific
exemption reason will not be shared.
Additionally, team members are not required to disclose to their managers that they are
requesting an exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine requirement.
Badge Hang Tag
All staff will be required to wear a badge tag identifying that they have met the requirement for
either vaccination or approved exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement. The
badge tag must be worn at the same times and in the same manner as the identification badge.
The badge tag must be affixed to the badge and worn as soon as it is provided. Badge tags will
be color coded to indicate either vaccination or exemption. Badge tags will be issued at the time
of vaccination, submission of proof of immunization or to those who have been granted a
medical/religious waiver.
Contingency Plans
In the event of a vaccine shortage, Infection Prevention and Occupational Health will determine
priority groups for vaccination. Priority will be assigned based on risk to patients. During a
vaccine shortage, the requirement for vaccination will be suspended for personnel who are not
designated as a high priority until the vaccine becomes available.
Communication
Communication of the requirement and any other Connecticut Children’s leadership
communication on this topic will be provided by Marketing & Communications, after
consultation with content experts. We will implement utilizing existing methods of
communication (i.e., Link, Intranet, Town Hall).
7You can also read
