Stories from the Field: Examples of Successful Worker COVID-19 Vaccination Programs

In August 2021, Duke University and Duke University Health System announced the implementation of requirements for the COVID-19 vaccine primary series for all 47,120 employees by October 1, 2021. The requirement covered all employees, regardless of whether they were fully remote, hybrid, or fully on site, and offered both medical and religious exemptions. As of November 23, 2021, 96.6% of the 23,500 university employees had completed their primary vaccination series, and 2.7% had approved exemptions or deferrals. Among 23,630 health system employees, 93.3% had completed their primary vaccination series, and 6.1% had approved exemptions or deferrals. Employees who had not completed the primary vaccine series participated in a weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing programexternal icon. During the Fall 2021 semester, the cumulative test positivity rate was 0.39%, with 282,358 tests administered to unvaccinated faculty and staff and all students.

Key components of this effort included:

• Holding regular, virtual town hall meetings with experts to discuss vaccine safety and efficacy and options among the approved and authorized vaccines.
• Providing robust reporting mechanisms for tracking compliance with vaccination or obtaining approved exemptions, which allowed managers to have individual conversations to address concerns and encourage vaccination.
• Allowing employees to obtain vaccines at work during work hours and at easily accessible times and locations.
• Providing transportation to vaccination locations on site.
• Providing paid time off for employees with side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Calling employees and sending personalized notifications of employee vaccine compliance status and scheduling options.

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