Penn Medicine to require all employees to receive COVID-19 vaccine

All Penn Medicine employees will be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19, the Philadelphia-based health system announced this week.

Employees must complete their vaccination by Sept. 1, 2021. Beginning in July, new hires will also have to provide proof of vaccination or complete their vaccination two weeks before starting work. Those who can’t be vaccinated due to medical or religious reasons will have to apply for an exemption. 

Penn Medicine has already offered the vaccine to all staff, and almost 70% of its employees are fully vaccinated. The health system will host education sessions on the vaccine throughout the summer, allowing employees to learn more about how the vaccines work and ask questions to Penn Medicine physicians, nurses and pharmacists. 

Last month, Houston Methodist hospital system also said that its employees must be vaccinated for COVID-19.