Northern Arizona Healthcare says its employees and volunteers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 31, 2021.
The healthcare company includes the Flagstaff Medical Center and Verde Valley Medical Center, along with facilities in Sedona, Oak Creek, and Camp Verde. On its website, NAH says it employs more than 3,000 “doctors, nurses and other experts.”
In Monday’s announcement, NAH officials cited developing variants as a factor in the vaccine mandate.
“The rising threat of more damage to be done by the Delta and other variants on the horizon has made it clear that the time is now to take action,” Northern Arizona Healthcare CEO Flo Spyrow said in a statement.
Information regarding medical and religious exemptions is forthcoming, NAH officials said yesterday. The healthcare company estimates around 80% of its workers have either received the vaccine already, or plan to do so.
Last month, NAH tightened its visitation policies amid what the CDC categorizes as high COVID-19 transmission in both Yavapai and Coconino Counties.
Banner Health, the largest hospital chain in Arizona, announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate this summer, requiring employees to be vaccinated by Nov. 1, 2021.
