Another Chicago-area hospital group is requiring all team members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 31.
NorthShore University Health System announced the mandate for 18,000 employees, volunteers and contractors at its six hospitals on Monday. The system includes Evanston Hospital, Northwest Community Hospital and Swedish Hospital.
“The vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective against COVID-related hospitalization and death,” NorthShore University Health System said in a statement. “Requiring COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment is a critical and essential defense against this pandemic.”
Other health systems requiring vaccines for employees include Loyola Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, University of Chicago Medicine, Advocate Aurora Health and Lurie Children’s.
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NorthShore may make exceptions for religious or medical reasons.
All staff will continue to undergo daily standard screening questions and temperature checks.
Cook County Health also announced Monday that it will require all staff, contractors and students to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1 or demonstrate a verifiable medical or religious exemption.
