WALLA WALLA — Providence St. Mary Medical Center and Providence Medical Group officials announced Thursday, Aug. 5, that caregivers employed by the organizations must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 30.

The announcement follows the statement earlier this week from the Washington State Hospital Association supporting COVID-19 vaccination requirements for health care workers.

St. Mary spokesperson Kathleen Obenland said the mandate is for all Providence caregivers in Washington, including Walla Walla.

Patient care employees will be required to show proof of vaccination. Those who cannot be vaccinated must sign a declaration of that and follow additional protocols, including enhanced COVID-19 testing, mandatory vaccine-related education and discussions, as well as other infection-prevention requirements in accordance with facility policy, federal, state and local public health mandates.

Indoor masking also remains in effect in Providence hospitals and clinics.

Providence is one of the largest health systems in the nation. The move comes as the organization is seeing the delta variant driving patient volumes up once again and unvaccinated people accounting for the vast majority of Providence’s COVID-19 patients.

In Walla Walla, the renewed surge in the virus is making it more likely patients with illnesses and injuries will be transferred to other hospitals, “if there are any with capacity,” Obenland said. “Particularly if the patient needs an intensive care bed.”

That can make a medical situation extraordinarily expensive for patients, but sometimes there is no other available option than to transfer elsewhere, she said.

While the hospital’s Southgate Medical Park is set up as an overflow space for COVID-19 patients, it only will be used as a last resort. For example, if St. Mary could not contain any more patients, it couldn’t transfer patients out because other hospitals also were at capacity and if it appeared the situation would continue for a prolonged period of time, she said.

Obenland said there are multiple reasons for the policy, especially staffing issues.

“The challenge is not just about available beds. It’s about the team of health care professionals needed to staff those beds. Staffing at St. Mary is very tight, and, like most other businesses, we are facing recruitment challenges.”

With nearly every other hospital in the nation experiencing the same shortages, it would not be possible to rapidly hire a whole new team, and putting employees at Southgate would require St. Mary to pause numerous medical services to free up staff, pull in clinic employees and undertake other measures to create a care team for the Southgate beds, Obenland explained.

Dr. Rod Hochman, president and CEO of Providence, said that until vaccinations reach critical mass in the United States, “we will continue to see ongoing outbreaks that put the most vulnerable members of our communities at greater risk. Having been on the front lines since the beginning, we know this is not sustainable for our communities or our caregivers.

“We also know the COVID-19 vaccines remain one of the safest, most effective tools for preventing severe illness from the virus.”

As one of the largest health systems in the country, Providence has the opportunity to lead by example, Hochman said.

“That is why it’s imperative that every caregiver get vaccinated against COVID-19. Not only will it help us keep each other and our patients safe, it will also help ensure we are doing our part to put the pandemic behind us,” Hochman said.

Providence is placing a moratorium on large, indoor gatherings and non-essential business travel until the organization has a better understanding of the latest wave of COVID-19, officials also said.