:ED THE STETA’S LARGEST HOSPITAL SYSTEMS WILL START REQUIRING ALL EMPLOYEES TO GET VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19. HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. ROBERT FINBERG, PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT U-MASS MEDICAL SCHOOL IN WORCESTER. THIS NEW MANDATE APPLIESO T ABOUT 130,000 EMPLOYEES AT MASS GENERAL BRIGH, AMBETH ISRAEL LAHEY HEALTH, AND WELLFORCE. HOW LLWI IT BENEFIT PATIEN?TS >> WELL, AS WE DISCUSSED, THESE VACCINES ARE INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE. EVEN THOUGH THERE MIGHT BE CASE OF COVID IN THE COMMUNI,TY THEY’RE NOT GIVEN MANY VACCINATED PEOPLE. LAST THING ONE WANTS TO DO IS HEALTHCARE WORKER IS TO GIVE SOMEONE WHO COMES TO THE HOSPITAL A NEW DISEASE. THIS IS GOING TO PREVENT HEALTHCARE WORRSKE FMRO GIVING COVID-19 TO PATIENTS AND IT’S A GREAT THING. MARIA: I WTAN TO REMIND OUR VIEWERS THAT YOU SIT ON THE GOVERNOR’S VACCINE ADVISORY BOARD. WILL YOU RECOMMEND THAT OTHER EMPLOYERS, SUCH AS UNIVERSITIES, NURSING HOMES OR EVEN THE STATE, REQUIRE VACCINATIONS O?TO >> I WORK IN A UNIVERSITY. IN MY BUILDGIN RIGHT NOW, ONLY VACCINATED PEOPLE ARE WORKING HERE. I FEEL MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE. I CAN WALK AROUND THE BUILDING. I DON’T HAVE TO LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER TO SEE WHO’S THERE. IT’S SORTF O LIKE REAL LIFE INSTEAD OF THE SCI-FI HORROR MOVIE. ED: THIS THURSDAY, PEOPLE WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED CAN START REGISTERING FOR THE STATE’S VAXMILLIONS GIVEAWAY. HAVE YOU SEEN ANY INCREASE IN VACCINATIONS SINCE THESE PRIZES AND SCHOLARSHIPS WERE ANNOUNCED? >> IT’S WORKED IN OTHER STATES. I HEARD THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY INTERESTED. I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE LPHEL. MARIA: AS YOU KW,N ARE YOU GOING TO ENTER IT? >> I AM GOING TO EERNT IT. MARIA: OH! LET US KNOW IF YOU WIN! WE’LL KNOWHE T ANSWER. MASSACHUSETTS HAS REACHED ITS GOAL OF 4.1 MILLION RESIDENTS WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED. WHAT’S YOUR FOCUS W?NO >> THERE ARE THREE THINGS. 4.1 MILLION IS ABOUT 60% OFHE T POPULATION. THERE ARE ANOTHER 650,000 RECEIVED ONE DOSE. IF WE GET THEM A SECOND DOSE, THAT WILL BRING US TO ALMTOS 70%. THEN WE’LL NEED — THE SECOND GOAL WILL BE TO GETHE T OERTH 30%. THEN, FRANKLY AFTER THAT,HE WORLD IS CLOSER TO 20%. THOSE E ARE GOALS. ED: THE WORLD IS CLEROS TO 20%. THAT’S NOT A GOOD NUMBER >> THAT’S NOT A GOOD NUMBER. WE NEED TO GET IT MUCH HIGHER. THAT’S HOW WE’RE GOING TO GET RID OF THE VIRUS. MARI A:WE HAVE A GOOD NUMBER HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS. DR. ROBERT FINBERG, PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE UMASS M

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Doctor, member of vaccine task force praises hospital requirements for staff

Updated: 5:01 PM EDT Jun 25, 2021

“It’s a great thing,” Dr. Robert Finberg of UMass Medical School said about the announcement that three major Massachusetts hospital systems will require COVID-19 vaccinations of all staff.

WORCESTER, Mass. —

“It’s a great thing,” Dr. Robert Finberg of UMass Medical School said about the announcement that three major Massachusetts hospital systems will require COVID-19 vaccinations of all staff.

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