QUESTION:
In June, a federal court dismissed claims brought by employees of Houston Methodist Hospital who alleged the hospital’s vaccination requirement was illegal.  In this past week, another federal judge dismissed a similar lawsuit brought by employees of St. Elizabeth Medical Center.  How many hospitals/health systems have a mandatory vaccination requirement?

ANSWER:
As of September, approximately 2,600 hospitals and health systems put in place a mandatory vaccination requirement.  There were also over a dozen states, and even several cities, that imposed the requirement on health care workers.  There were some requirements that had exemptions for medical or religious reasons, and the penalties for not being vaccinated ranged from suspension to termination to weekly testing, among other things.  So, the requirement is on the upswing, and we’re staying alert for any updates.