08/09/2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 9, 2021
Contact:
Christina Crooks Bryan
Cell: 302-245-1638,
christina@deha.org |
Delaware Healthcare Association Endorses American Hospital Association, et al.,
Statement on Health Worker Vaccination
(DOVER, DE – August 9, 2021) The Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) affirms that “
The health, safety and well-being of health care personnel – and the patients and communities they serve – is the highest priority for America’s hospitals and health systems,” as stated by the
American Hospital Association and other allied health organizations.
“Widespread vaccination is an essential component to successfully controlling the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” said Wayne Smith, President and CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association. “We join other health associations and stand united in strongly urging all health care personnel to get the COVID-19 vaccination – a safe and effective vaccine that reduces the likelihood of infection, transmission, hospitalization, and death from the COVID-19 virus.”
Full Statement of the American Hospital Association, et al.:
America’s Essential Hospitals
American Hospital Association
Association of American Medical Colleges
Catholic Health Association of the United States
Children’s Hospital Association
July 27, 2021
The health, safety and well-being of health care personnel – and the patients and communities they serve – is the highest priority for America’s hospitals and health systems. The evidence supporting COVID-19 vaccination is clear, strong and growing. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at reducing substantially the risks of becoming infected, spreading the infection to others and becoming severely ill or dying from the disease.
For health care personnel, the COVID-19 vaccines are an especially powerful tool because they not only provide strong protection against the virus to vaccinated staff, but also reduce significantly the likelihood of inadvertently carrying and spreading COVID-19 to patients and peers. The protections afforded by the COVID-19 vaccines are imperative in health care settings, which treat people with weakened immune systems who are unable to be vaccinated or to whom vaccination is not yet available, including children and infants.
As representatives of America’s hospitals and health systems, we stand united in strongly urging all health care personnel to get the COVID-19 vaccination, given the disease’s known and substantial risks to the unvaccinated of severe illness, death and long-term complications. We encourage hospitals to maintain their ongoing efforts to educate staff and their communities about COVID-19 vaccinations.
We also support hospitals and health systems that implement mandatory vaccination policies or any other reasonable steps to achieving high levels of COVID-19 vaccination within their organizations, with the appropriate accommodations for medical or religious reasons. Local factors and circumstances, along with relevant local, state and federal laws and regulations, will shape each organization’s chosen strategy.
About the Delaware Healthcare Association
The Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) was formed in 1967 to assist Delaware hospitals in working on issues concerning health care and the hospital industry. DHA is a statewide trade and membership services organization that serves as a leader in the promotion of effective change in health services through collaboration and consensus building on health care issues at the State and Federal levels. DHA’s vision is to be the leading and respected voice for hospitals and health care delivery systems in Delaware working together to deliver compassionate, accessible, high quality, financially sustainable health care to the patients and communities they serve. DHA’s mission is to provide policy and advocacy leadership in creating an excellent environment for enabling every Delawarean to be as healthy as they can be.
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