The increased availability of COVID-19 vaccines have created a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel. A steady increase in the number of Americans receiving the vaccine means life is slowly but surely getting back to pre-pandemic norms.
Recently President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law. It directs over $15 billion to vaccine distribution and administration for COVID-19. This includes supporting efforts to increase access to vaccines, increase confidence in the vaccines and funding additional research, development, manufacturing, and procurement of vaccines.
During a nationwide address, President Biden made a bold promise to the people of this country: a vaccine will be available for every American who wants one by May and we could be gathering with friends and family by July 4.
For this to come to fruition, it takes action from us as well. We have to do our part and get the vaccine and we also need to encourage others to follow science and do the same. It’s takes all of us working together.
As an employer, what can you do to support and encourage vaccination efforts? Have open communication, provide unbiased, fact-based information and incentivize your employees to get vaccinated.
In order for the goal of July 4 to become a reality, 70%, and preferably 80% of our country has to be vaccinated. According to the World Health Organization, that is when we will reach herd immunity as a country. Encouraging and providing resources for you employees to get vaccinated will not only help your employees and your business, you will help end this pandemic.
Being a vaccine advocate will also help your business and the economy get back to true normal—back to a time when the ramifications of this pandemic don’t dominate our lives. It will take time, and it will take effort from all of us but together we can get there.
In late 2020 the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) decided that employers would be allowed to mandate COVID vaccination, with some accommodation exceptions. That doesn’t mean you have to require a vaccine but you can strongly encourage one and provide resources for employees to read fact-based information.
Two thirds of employees say that in order for them to feel safe returning to in-person work, they want employees to be vaccinated. Unfortunately, more than one-third of U.S. adults say they will refuse or delay getting the vaccine. What can you do as an employer to encourage employees to get vaccinated? Provide open dialogue about the facts of the vaccine and the importance of the vaccine. TASC also has created a new Vaccine Wellness-Reward Account to help.
With this account, clients can incentivize their employees to get vaccinated for not only COVID-19, but also the common flu. Getting vaccinated is of course good for individuals and ensures we are protecting ourselves and those around us. It’s also good for business. The more employees who get vaccinated and are protected means it is likely they will be out sick and lose productivity from those illnesses and their side effects.
In December (2020) 66% of employers said COVID-19 vaccinations were “very or somewhat necessary” for their business. That was before vaccinations became readily available. Now that availability is steadily increasing, that number has likely gone up.
Offering a vaccine reward account, providing on-site vaccine clinics when available or even offering general wellness accounts can all lead to a healthier workforce and employees focused on their responsibilities at work.
Your employees are watching and so is your community to see you respond to the challenges put forth by this unprecedented time. Supporting the massive inoculation effort will have both short-term and long-term payoffs for your company and your community. In the short-term, a return to normalcy in the office and out of it. In the long-term you are solidifying your company as a leader in the community and taking charge of challenging situations.
It’s going to take all of us to move forward. Let’s do it together.
Read more about How Your Company Can Support COVID Vaccination Here. (Link: https://blog.tasclargemarkets.com/blog/how-your-company-can-support-covid-vaccination) Learn more about TASC’s Vaccine Reward Account Here. https://youtu.be/uyn2isdTYt4
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