Message from Dr. Suntha: Covid-19 Vaccine Participation Mandate

June 09, 2021

For more than six months, we have been on a journey to deliver the COVID-19 vaccines to our team members, patients and fellow Marylanders. Together, we have safely administered more than 600,000 vaccines across the State of Maryland.

As part of our mission to keep those in our care as safe as possible, the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is now taking the next step in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting September 1, 2021, UMMS will require COVID-19 vaccination for all current and new team members, Medical Staff, and partners, including contractors, volunteers, and students. For UMMS leaders at the manager level and above, this new requirement begins on August 1, 2021. Those individuals who choose not to receive the vaccine by these dates will be required to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing.

This new policy is grounded in science, and the scientific evidence tells us that from a safety and efficacy standpoint, the COVID-19 vaccines represent a dramatic accomplishment and a clear pathway out of this pandemic. We also have an ethical responsibility to do everything we can to protect our patients and our team members from illness. Following numerous peer-reviewed studies, we know the vaccines are by far the best way to do that, and we continue to encourage all team members to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

However, while we have made tremendous progress in our vaccination effort, some within our workforce – as well as many of our patients who may be immunocompromised and/or unable to receive the vaccine – remain unvaccinated and therefore vulnerable to the virus. By implementing a policy of weekly testing for those who remain unprotected, we are taking necessary steps to identify active infections and prevent further spread.

This practice will remain in place until we have seen an acceptable decrease in COVID-19 prevalence and morbidity, combined with a significant increase in vaccination rates, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance. Failure to comply with weekly testing requirements during this time could result in disciplinary action and may lead to termination from employment.

When a COVID-19 vaccine is granted full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), COVID-19 vaccination will become mandatory for all UMMS team members, partners and Medical Staff, with limited exceptions for medical conditions, religious beliefs, and pregnancy. This is consistent with our approach to influenza and other vaccines, which help to keep our patients and team members safe from infection.

I recognize that some of you will have questions, and I encourage you all to review the policy and accompanying FAQs below for additional details. If you still have questions, please submit them here. I will do my best to address all outstanding questions in a System-wide town hall tomorrow (Thursday, June 10) at 12:00 PM.

I continue to be humbled by the commitment each of you has shown in the face of remarkable challenges over the past 16 months, and I am grateful for those of you who have already made the decision to get vaccinated. This next step is a recommitment to our mission: to maintain a safe work environment for each other and the highest standard of care for our patients – now and in the years to come.

Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA
President and Chief Executive Officer
University of Maryland Medical System
The Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Professor of Radiation Oncology
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Please click here to read the FAQs.