Employers key to ending pandemic: Vaccinations imperative, not a personal choice

The US is in the throes of a fourth wave of the pandemic as the delta variant sweeps across the nation, threatening to crush many parts of our country in ways we cannot imagine. We are only beginning to see the escalating consequences: increased infections; hospital ICUs at and over capacity; lifelong and life-changing side effects; deaths that leave behind stunned friends and families; and a tattered economy.

The gamble used to be, “maybe I’ll get it, maybe I won’t.” Predictive modeling shows that those who are not vaccinated will get the delta variant. They may not all get sick and die, but they will eventually be infected and likely infect others. And those at greatest risk in this wave are not just the elderly or those with health conditions as the numbers are rising for the young and healthy.

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Physician members of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions’ Medical Director Advisory Council agree there are only two things we know will work to combat the surge: complete lockdown and vaccination.

Recent history has proven that lockdowns harm not only our economy, but also our mental health. The National Alliance, along with Total Brain, the American Health Policy Institute and One Mind at Work have been monitoring the effects monthly since the pandemic began. The findings are concerning – the risk of social anxiety disorder among workers in the 40-59 age group is 108% higher than pre-pandemic and 70% of workers’ brain capacity has been impaired to some degree by stress and high risk of mental health conditions. Eye-popping reminders that the pandemic amplified an existing national mental health crisis.

Vaccination continues to be the fastest and most effective course to end the pandemic. With fewer than 50% of Americans fully vaccinated, and many with no plans to get it, we liken the situation to tobacco smoking. While smoking used to be considered a “personal choice,” when research revealed that exposure to secondhand smoke led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and countless serious and life-threatening illnesses, smoking in public places became prohibited by law. Behaviors were changed and lives saved.

Much like endangering others as a smoker is no longer acceptable, COVID-19 vaccinations are imperative to preventing future loss of life, and as such should not be viewed as simply a “personal choice.” While those who have had the COVID-19 virus already may have triggered an immune response for that original virus, the evidence is not clear that that will be sufficient to block the variants that have emerged. The delta variant has raised the stakes for vaccination for all of us, making it critical to maximize protection and prevent spreading it to others. As such and based on the interim recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s also important to wear a mask indoors in public, especially when in an area of high transmission.

Employers play a big role in influencing employees and their families’ health decisions. The dam is finally starting to break as private and public employers in increasing numbers are requiring their employees to get vaccinated. We applaud those taking the courageous and necessary actions to mandate vaccination and mitigation strategies including stringent masking and testing to ensure not only the safety of their workforce, but their customers and communities. We urge more employers and policy makers to quickly do the same.

Members of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions’ Medical Director Advisory Council who contributed to this op-ed include Scott Conard, MD, CEO, Converging Health, and Council Chair; Mohannad Kusti, MD, Medical Director, Pittsburgh Business Group on Health; Wayne Rawlins, MD, Vice President & Chief Medical Officer, WellSpark Health; and Stan Schwartz, MD, CEO, WellOK, The Northeastern Oklahoma Business Coalition on Health.