NJ's largest health system says 99% at least partially vaccinated

New Jersey's largest health care system, Hackensack Meridian Health, said Tuesday that more than 99% of its 36,000 employees now either are fully vaccinated or have received their first of two shots for COVID-19.

In the largest example so far of the effectiveness of employer vaccine requirements in New Jersey, that represents a 28% increase since the system informed employees of the requirement in July. An additional 10,080 people have become at least partially vaccinated.

Hackensack Meridian provides care at 17 hospitals, 12 nursing homes, three assisted living facilities and hundreds of other sites from Bergen to Atlantic counties. Everyone from janitors to heart surgeons, per diem employees to full-time staff, was required to comply with the vaccine requirement. One shot was required by Oct.1, and Nov. 15 is the deadline to be fully vaccinated.

"We want to give our patients, visitors and each other peace of mind, and the best way to do that is by requiring COVID-19 vaccination," said an email to employees from Robert Garrett, the system's CEO, and Dr. Daniel Varga, its chief physician executive, when the requirement was announced.

More:Some feared vaccine mandate would cause exodus of NJ health workers. Here's what happened

Several health systems in New Jersey have also imposed requirements for employees to get vaccinated or lose their jobs.  

• Virtua Health system, with five hospitals, eight urgent care centers and multiple other locations, began eliminating unvaccinated workers from scheduled shifts last week. Its 15,000 employees face an Oct. 15 deadline for full vaccination; more than 96% are vaccinated and most of the rest have exemptions, a spokesman said.
• Valley Health System said 96% of its employees have been vaccinated so far, in advance of its Nov. 1 deadline. 
• RWJBarnabas Health "continues to work with its 35,000 employees" to get them vaccinated in advance of its Oct. 15 deadline. Six managers — of 3,000 —  lost their jobs in July as the result of an earlier deadline for supervisory-level employees and above.  

And Gov. Phil Murphy issued an executive order in August that gave health care workers until Sept. 7 to be vaccinated — with the option of COVID testing at least once weekly as an alternative. That applied not only to hospitals, but to nursing homes, mental health providers and home health care agencies. 

As a result, vaccination rates have climbed, with many workers opting for a shot after a few weeks of nasal swabs for COVID-19 tests.

The largest health care system in New York state, Northwell Health, on Monday fired 1,400 employees who remained unvaccinated after that state's Sept. 27 deadline. 

New Jersey has an estimated 650,000 health care workers, but not all are included in the governor's executive order. It applies to those in acute care, long-term care, clinics, group homes and congregate settings.

Hackensack Meridian did not provide the numbers of employees who are fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, unvaccinated or exempt from the vaccine requirement. 

Lindy Washburn is a senior health care reporter for NorthJersey.com. To keep up-to-date about how changes in health care affect you and your family, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: washburn@northjersey.com 

Twitter: @lindywa