Houston Methodist not mandating new COVID-19 vaccines for employees

Editor's Note

Houston Methodist, the first US health system to mandate vaccination of its employees in March 2021, is not requiring employees to receive new COVID-19 vaccines targeting Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, the September 21 Becker’s Hospital Review reports.

Though the system is strongly recommending that employees get the booster, they are not mandating it like before, which resulted in 153 employees resigning or being terminated in June 2021.

In an email, Robert Phillips, MD, PhD, executive vice resident, chief physician executive, and specialty physician group CEO, says Houston Methodist will continue to follow the scientific data, level of infections in the community, and availability of vaccines and may mandate a booster in the future.