Mount Nittany Health announces vaccination requirement, compliance rate for employees
All Mount Nittany Health employees must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of February, the health system said Friday, meaning all three of Centre County’s major health care providers have announced mandates for the vaccine.
Federal regulations require health care employees to be vaccinated, or granted a medical or religious accommodation, by Feb. 28.
More than 90% of employees are already vaccinated, Mount Nittany Health chief human resources office Amy Trithart said in a statement. The health system’s percentage is “steadily increasing,” she said.
“The safety of our staff, patients and community continues to be Mount Nittany Health’s top priority,” Trithart said. “... We will continue to monitor any developments with respect to the federal requirements.”
Mount Nittany, one of the largest employers in Centre County, was the last major health care provider in the county to publicly announce its vaccination requirement.
Geisinger told employees in late August they would have to be vaccinated by Nov. 1. Penn State Health told its employees in early November that they would have to be vaccinated by Dec. 8.
A spokesperson for the union that represents more than 900 Mount Nittany Medical Center employees was not immediately able to comment Friday.