Photo courtesy of Avera Julie Fier, an RN and clinic nurse supervisor with Avera Medical Group, gives a COVID-19 vaccine to RN Lisa Buseth earlier this year. The Avera Health system announced it will be requiring employees to be vaccinated for COVID. Most Avera employees are already vaccinated, Avera spokespeople said.

MARSHALL — The Avera Health system is requiring employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19, Avera announced Tuesday.

While the majority of Avera employees are already vaccinated, Avera spokespeople said the move will help protect both patients and staff.

“As a health care ministry, Avera is called upon to provide a safe and protective environment for our patients, their families and our employees. This is consistent with our mission and values,” said Dr. David Erickson, chief medical and innovation officer at Avera Health.

“For decades, vaccination has been an important tool in public health. Avera has long been requiring vaccinations among its employees for influenza and other infectious diseases like measles,” he said.

In making its decision, Avera got feedback from thousands of people, and looked at the option that would “be best not only for our community, but our employees,” said Avera Marshall Regional President and CEO Debbie Streier.

In deciding whether to require COVID-19 vaccination, Avera Health surveyed more than 17,000 employees across the system. The majority of responders said they had already been vaccinated for COVID, and others said they would consider being vaccinated if it was required, Streier said.

Avera announced its physicians, employees and volunteers will need to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 1. The policy will also apply to medical students doing rotations in Avera facilities, contracted workers and vendors. Avera Health said it will consider exemptions for employees with medical contraindications and sincerely held religious beliefs. Employees who receive an exemption will be required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment and comply with regular COVID-19 testing.

Erickson said vaccines are safe and effective.

“Millions of people have safely received the vaccines. With over half of the U.S. population vaccinated plus millions across the world, COVID vaccines are among the most tested vaccines ever,” he said. “Adverse reactions are extremely rare.”

While it is still possible for a vaccinated person to get COVID-19, breakthrough infections are uncommon, Avera spokespeople said. However, vaccinated people who do get sick tend to have milder symptoms.

“(Vaccines) are doing a great job of preventing hospitalizations,” Streier said.

A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study showed that unvaccinated people are 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated, Avera spokespeople said. The CDC study also found that unvaccinated people are about five times more likely to be infected with COVID-19 than those who are not.

Children age 11 and younger remain vulnerable to COVID-19 because there is not an approved vaccine for that age group, Avera spokespeople said.

“Adults can help protect children by getting vaccinated,” said Kevin Post, chief medical officer for Avera Medical Group.

New confirmed cases of COVID-19 are still being reported across southwest Minnesota, including in the area served by Avera facilities in Marshall, Tyler and Granite Falls. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, one new case was reported in a Lincoln County resident on Tuesday, along with three new cases among Lyon County residents and five new cases in Yellow Medicine County residents.

Statewide, a total of more than 1,700 new COVID cases were reported Tuesday.

Since the start of the pandemic, a total of more than 3,600 Lyon County residents have had confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 54 people have died. Lincoln County has had four COVID deaths, and Yellow Medicine County has had 20 deaths.

About 59% of Lyon County residents age 12 and up have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of Sept. 2, the MDH said. In Lincoln County, that figure is at 57% of residents, and in Yellow Medicine County it’s at 56% of residents.

Over the summer, the number of patients who came to Avera Marshall for COVID vaccines went down, Streier said. However, she said there’s been an uptick in vaccinations since Aug. 23, when the FDA fully approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Streier said Avera Marshall is continuing to partner with community organizations to help educate people about COVID vaccines.