- Dr. Ashish K. Jha encourages businesses to take an active role in promoting COVID-19 vaccines
- Jha says such actions can help build trust in vaccination efforts
- Employers can legally require employees to be vaccinated in order to return to an office environment as long as they follow proper protocols, and some companies have turned to promotions to encourage customers to get vaccinated
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
A top health advisor to the Biden administration is advising businesses to take an active role in encouraging employees and clients to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Ashish K. Jha, the dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health, says businesses can be active in “promoting good information” about vaccines. He says such actions can help build trust among those who might be hesitant about receiving a vaccine, potentially improving vaccination rates and accelerating economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jha noted how employers are legally able to require employees to be vaccinated in order to return to an office environment, as long as proper protocols are followed. The Centers for Disease Control says employers should not request any medical information from employees in order to show proof of vaccination. Some companies have also started to offer promotions to customers who can show that they have received a vaccine.
While “vaccine passports” have been floated as a way of allowing businesses to limit certain activities to people who have been vaccinated, some states have barred their use and the Biden administration does not plan to get involved in the issue. Some business owners have also been wary of the idea of checking each customer for proof of vaccination.
