Saratoga Hospital Requiring Employees Be Fully Vaccinated or Undergo Weekly Testing

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Saratoga Hospital announced on Aug. 9 it is requiring that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 7 or be tested for the virus weekly.

The vaccination policy requires employees to provide proof of vaccination by the Sept. 7 deadline or start weekly testing. The policy also includes exemptions and deferrals. Those who do not comply with the policy will be placed on leave.

“As Saratoga County’s only hospital and as a major employer, we owe it to patients and staff to do everything possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that our facilities are safe for all who work here and rely on us for care,” said Angelo Calbone, Saratoga Hospital president and CEO, in a statement.

“The evidence is clear: These vaccines save lives,” he said. 

The policy reflects guidance from the hospital’s medical staff, board of trustees and individuals across the Saratoga Hospital organization and will be reviewed regularly and updated to reflect changing conditions, new knowledge and the latest CDC guidance.

Saratoga Hospital joins more than 90 hospitals and health systems nationwide in requiring COVID-19 vaccination for employees. New York State has announced it will require state employees to be vaccinated as of Labor Day. And nearly 60 major medical organizations—including the American Medical Association and American Nurses Association—have called for “all healthcare and long-term care employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.”