COVID-19 Vaccines BJC and WUSM Employees
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COVID-19 vaccines BJC and WUSM employees FAQs – updated September 10, 2021 Updates to this document have been made in red. The content in this document is intended for BJC/Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) employees only, not for the general public. Click the topic below to go directly to the section: • Vaccine requirement and distribution – BJC/WUSM employees and contingent workers • Vaccine safety • Vaccine effectiveness • Vaccine distribution - public • Questions prior to receiving the vaccine • After I get the vaccine • More about the vaccines Vaccine requirement and distribution – BJC/WUSM employees and contingent workers 1. Which vaccine was officially approved by the FDA, and how is this different than the emergency use authorization the FDA granted the vaccine previously? On August 23, 2021, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine officially received full FDA approval. It is the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive this approval. This action by the FDA may influence some unvaccinated citizens to get vaccinated, as it is additional validation that the vaccine is safe and effective in preventing severe COVID-19 infection. For BJC, the FDA action does not change our requirement that all team members be vaccinated. 2. What is the deadline for employees to be vaccinated? September 15 is now the deadline for receiving a dose of any COVID-19 vaccine: first doses of a two-dose series or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. At this point, employees with a single dose of a two-dose vaccine will be “conditionally compliant” with the expectation 1 COVID-19 vaccine rollout to BJC and WUSM employees FAQs CS_586771 6/24/21 that they complete the series within 30 days. If vaccination is obtained outside of BJC Occupational Health, team members are required to provide documentation for the first AND second dose to Occupational Health. Email documentation to [email protected]. 3. Why did BJC extend the September 15 deadline for the vaccine? Actually, the September 15 vaccination deadline remains in place. A number of our employees expressed uneasiness about receiving a vaccine without FDA approval. With the August 23 FDA approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, we felt it would be reasonable and appropriate to provide time for anyone who was waiting for full approval before starting the vaccine series. September 15 is now the deadline for receiving a dose of any COVID-19 vaccine: first doses of a two-dose series or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. At this point, employees with a single dose of a two-dose vaccine will be “conditionally compliant” with the expectation that they complete the series within 30 days. This recent update to the timeline reflects our firm belief that employees who were reluctant to get the vaccine while under Emergency Use Authorization (EU) status will now do so without having to be suspended. 4. Will I be considered fully compliant on September 15 if I have received one dose of a two-series COVID-19 vaccine? No, an employee is fully compliant only after successfully obtaining the full series of the one- dose J&J or both doses of a two-dose series vaccine. 5. If I get my first dose by September 15 will I still get the 8-hour PTO deposit? To receive the extra 8 hours of PTO (or payout, if you are at the max), you must be fully vaccinated by 5:00 p.m. on September 15, as originally communicated. This means you will need to have completed both doses of a two-dose series or the single Johnson & Johnson/Janssen dose. 6. If I receive the first dose of my two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series on or before September 15, will I be suspended on September 15? No, employees will not be suspended if they have received a first dose (or single Johnson&Johnson/Janssen dose) by September 15 at 5:00 p.m. Employees receiving Pfizer or Moderna must successfully complete both doses of their vaccine series by October 15, 2021, to achieve full compliance. Failure to do so will subject the employee to suspension until they become compliant (up to 30 days). Failure to become compliant within the 30-day suspension period will result in termination. 7. What is the deadline for obtaining the second dose of a two-dose vaccine? If the employee has obtained their first dose on or before September 15, the employee must obtain their second dose according to the manufacturer’s recommendation, and no later than October 15. If the employee fails to obtain their first vaccine by September 15, the employee will be suspended without pay for up to 30 days. Employees will be allowed to return to work after completing the vaccine series (single J&J or two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna) making them fully vaccinated. If they do not complete their series within the recommended interval, they will be terminated. 2 COVID-19 vaccine rollout to BJC and WUSM employees FAQs CS_586771 6/24/21 8. Will I be allowed to return to work after obtaining my first dose of either Pfizer or Moderna? No, employees who have been suspended will be allowed to return to work after completing the vaccine series (single Johnson&Johnson/Janssen or two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna) making them fully vaccinated. If they do not complete their series within the recommended interval, they will be terminated. 9. With all our staffing challenges, how can we suspend or terminate people who are not willing to obtain this vaccine? It is our obligation and commitment to do whatever we can to promote and maintain a safe environment for our patients, visitors, and one another. Our decision to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory is, in part, to help us overcome many of the impacts that COVID-19 is having on our employee population. The decision to get the vaccine is personal. But it is a requirement of working at BJC HealthCare. 10. Will I be required to complete mandatory testing? Initially, employees working in Illinois who have not been fully vaccinated or who have an approved exemption (medical or religious) will be required to start weekly testing on September 19 unless they are 100% alternative work site (AWS). Any AWS employee who has received an approved exemption and plans to come on site will need to be tested prior to coming in – even if only coming in for one day. In the future, all AWS employees with an approved exemption may be required to complete mandatory testing. 11. When do these testing requirements go into effect? The testing requirement will begin in Illinois the week starting September 19. If you are scheduled to work the week of September 19, you must receive your first test before September 26 and be tested every week you are scheduled thereafter. The state of Missouri does not currently require testing, but BJC is evaluating its guidelines and will release more information soon on plans to test team members at Missouri facilities. 12. Who do these testing requirements apply to? Employees at Illinois facilities who are not fully vaccinated or who have an approved exemption (medical or religious) from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will be required to complete mandatory weekly surveillance testing unless they are 100% alternative work site (AWS). To be fully vaccinated, you must be at least two full weeks past receiving either the second dose of a two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 13. Does this apply to AWS workers? Team members with vaccine exemptions who are 100% AWS do not need the weekly tests. However, any AWS employee who is not fully vaccinated or who has received an approved exemption and splits their time between AWS and in-person, or plans to come on site for any duration will need to be tested prior (within 72 hours) to coming in. 14. Where can team members receive their weekly tests? These are BJC’s Illinois testing locations: 3 COVID-19 vaccine rollout to BJC and WUSM employees FAQs CS_586771 6/24/21 Alton Multi Specialists – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – M-F Bethalto Convenient Care – 8 a.m.-8 p.m. – Daily Godfrey Convenient Care – 8 a.m.-8 p.m. – Daily Swansea Collection Site – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – M-F and 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Sat/Sun *Alton Memorial Hospital team members may also be tested at AMH Occupational Health. 15. What type of COVID test do I have to take? Employees will be administered the PCR nasal test. 16. What if I don’t want a PCR nasal test? Can I get an alternate test? BJC is providing the PCR nasal test at no cost to unvaccinated employees with an approved exemption. This test is the most accurate and reliable. This is the test that is available at the designated collection sites noted above. 17. How often do I need to be tested? BJC employees with scheduled shifts every week will require testing every week. PRNs, AWS team members and anyone else not scheduled every week will be expected to receive a test within 72 hours prior to their first on-site shift per week. 18. Can I get tested during my scheduled work hours? Yes, most employees are able to be tested during work hours. This will depend on your work schedule, collection site hours, and your department needs, and will vary by HSO. Please check with your manager. 19. Will I be reimbursed for my time if I am tested on non-work hours? If you are an hourly employee and testing is not available during your regular work hours, you will be compensated for one hour if you get your mandated surveillance COVID test before or after your scheduled shift or if you go for testing on your day off.