With eye on COVID-19 delta variant, Sanford Health goes it alone on employee vaccine mandate - INFORUM

— With an eye on the growing threat of the COVID-19 delta variant, Sanford Health is giving its 48,000 employees until Nov.

The Sioux Falls, S.D.-based health system is the only one in the region to set such a requirement, according to a survey of health systems such as Mayo Clinic and Essentia Health by Forum News Service.

Jeremy Cauwels, said Thursday the health system is moving forward with the mandate because of the growing number of the more contagious and virulent delta variant cases in Sanford's clinical footprint, which spans the Dakotas and Minnesota, and because national health care organizations have endorsed the move.

“Nearly all new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are among unvaccinated people, and the overwhelming data confirms that the vaccines are not only safe, but the best and most reliable way to prevent transmission of the virus," Cauwels said in the Thursday news release about the mandate.

Sanford Health appears to be the only large health system in the region with a planned COVID-19 vaccination mandate for its employees.

Cauwels said Sanford Health reached out to other health systems in the region about mandating COVID-19 vaccines for employees, but finally decided to do so on its own.

Forum News Service checked with Mayo Clinic, Essentia Health, Trinity Health, Altru Health System, CHI St.

RELATED: Essentia, Allina health networks vary in approach to employee COVID-19 vaccinations.