With COVID-19 case counts rising amid the spread of the Delta variant, the Association for Clinical Oncology joined more than 50 health care professional societies and organizations that represent millions of workers throughout health and long-term care in calling for all health care employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

A joint statement released on July 26 endorsed mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations to protect the safety of all patients and residents of long-term care facilities and make the health care sector a leader in COVID-19 vaccination just as cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are once again rising throughout the United States. According to the statement, “Vaccination is the primary way to put the pandemic behind us and avoid the return of stringent public health measures.”

“Patients with cancer need to know that their environment, including the people who care for them, is as safe as possible,” said Everett E. Vokes, MD, FASCO, president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in support of the joint statement. “Mandatory vaccination is entirely consistent with the Society’s core values of evidence, care, and impact.”

Read full joint statement.