More healthcare groups making COVID-19 vaccine a requirement for its employees

News 11's Cody Lee shares what our local medical facilities are doing

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Major medical groups in Arizona and California are now requiring employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Here in the desert southwest, one healthcare center is following suit and the others are leaving it up to employees to decide.

News 11 spoke to several medical centers in the desert southwest. As of right now, Regional Center for Border Health is the only healthcare organization mandating inoculation.

In a statement reading in part:

“We are requiring the vaccine to all of our employees with the exception of employees that show a letter from their physician & in some cases for religious purposes.”

- Regional Center for Border Health statement

This as two of Arizona's largest medical groups, Banner Health and Honor Health, has announced employees will need to be fully vaccinated.

Both Yuma Regional Medical Center and El Centro Regional Medical Center are not requiring employees to get the shot, but they do recommend it especially to future employees.

Dr. Adolphe Edward is El Centro Regional Medical Center's CEO.

“We're not in a position really to mandate vaccine unless it becomes down through state government, as you know, we're a hospital that's owned by the city. So if the city eventually gets direction or guidance from the state to require us to mandate vaccines then that's what we will be doing,” he said.

Back when the vaccine was first available both hospitals held vaccination events for employees.

ECRMC says 80% of employees are vaccinated.

This comes as there is growing concern impacted by the rise of several variants that are increasing the severity and transmissibility of the virus.