Northwestern Medicine will require its physicians and staff to get COVID-19 vaccines or undergo weekly testing, meaning nearly every large hospital system in the Chicago area is now telling its workers to get vaccinated.

       Northwestern will require its workers to be fully vaccinated or get exemptions for religious or medical reasons by Oct. 31, the system said in a statement Wednesday. Those who don’t get exemptions or provide proof of vaccination by then will be required to undergo weekly COVID-19 tests.

       Nearly 80% of Northwestern physicians and staff are already vaccinated, but the system decided to put the new requirements in place “given the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant and its risk to those with underlying medical conditions and children under 12 who are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine,” spokesman Christopher King said in a statement.

       Northwestern has 10 acute care hospitals in Illinois, including the prestigious Northwestern Memorial Hospital downtown, which is often ranked as one of best hospitals in the state.

       The announcement Wednesday came just two days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer vaccine, which had previously been allowed under an emergency use authorization.

       The FDA’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine is expected to spur many employers to require vaccines for their employees.

       Loyola Medicine was the first major area hospital system to put a requirement in place, in early July. In the following days and weeks, Rush, UI Health, University of Chicago Medicine, Advocate Aurora Health and Lurie Children’s Hospital followed suit. NorthShore University HealthSystem, Sinai Chicago and Cook County Health announced mandates for their workers last week.

       A day before Northwestern announced its new requirements, Amita Health, Edward-Elmhurst Health and Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox said they would require the vaccines.

       More to come.

       Northwestern Medicine will require workers to get COVID-19 vaccines or get tested weekly

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