Last week, we announced that St. Joseph’s Health would transition to a mandatory vaccine policy for all employees. Since then, Governor Phil Murphy announced that all healthcare workers in New Jersey must receive the COVID-19 vaccine no later than Tuesday, September 7, 2021. Employees who are not vaccinated must request an exemption and comply with weekly COVID-19 PCR testing , as a condition of continued employment.

While the governor’s timeline for vaccination is earlier that what St. Joseph’s had previously outlined, we do believe that the vaccine mandate – a direct response to an increase in hospitalizations across the region and the state – ensures the highest levels of safety for our patients.

How to Get Vaccinated

Visit St. Joseph’s for Your Vaccine at Any of the Following Locations:

• St. Joseph’s University Medical Center – Madison/Barclay Conference Room: Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center – Employee Health Office, 1^st Floor: Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• St. Joseph’s Healthcare & Rehab Center – on-site at Cedar Grove
• Employee Health Center – Broad Street, Clifton: Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

OR

Receive your COVID-19 vaccine from your primary care provider

OR

Receive your COVID-19 vaccine anywhere that the vaccine is offered (for example, local pharmacy).

Proof of Vaccination

Send proof of vaccination from your location of choice to St. Joseph’s Employee Health at ehdocs@sjhmc.org. Only employees who receive the vaccine outside of St. Joseph’s Health need to submit proof for verification. Employees who have already received their vaccination do not need to submit further proof, as these vaccinations already have been verified in our system.

Exemptions

Religious and medical exemptions will be reviewed by separate panels. Both forms are below. Follow instructions on the forms for submission. Please note: Regardless of exemption status, weekly PCR testing is required. If you have any questions, please email vacexemptrequest@sjhmc.org.

Plan Ahead – Two Doses are Required for Full Vaccination

St. Joseph’s will be providing the Pfizer vaccine, as the recommended vaccinations are Pfizer and Moderna due to enhanced efficacy.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses, about 21 days apart. In order to meet the September 7, 2021 deadline, first doses must be received during the week of August 9^th to allow time for a second dose prior to September 7^th.

COVID-19 Vaccine Employee Forums

To assist those employees who may still have questions about the vaccine, St. Joseph’s will be holding COVID-19 Vaccine Employee Forums. A flyer is attached with Employee Forum dates and locations. (These forums will offer an open discussion format – questions and answers – on COVID-19 vaccination only).

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation as information regarding COVID-19 and vaccination is changing rapidly.