As the Delta variant rages on and COVID-19 vaccines move closer to receiving full regulatory approval, many companies across the U.S. and abroad are beginning to mandate their employees get the jab or get the boot.
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As the Delta variant rages on and COVID-19 vaccines move closer to receiving full regulatory approval, many companies across the U.S. and abroad are beginning to mandate their employees get the jab or get the boot. This is particularly true in the biotech industry, with several pharma companies announcing their plans to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for their employees before they can return to the office.
On Monday, Gilead Sciences announced it will require its employees and contractors to be fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus by October 1. The large Bay Area biotech company was one of the first to develop and market a drug (remdesivir) to treat COVID-19 last year. Remdesivir received full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2020.
Vaccinating the company’s workforce is no easy task, considering Gilead has approximately 13,500 employees (including around 4,000 employees at its headquarters and research campus).
“In reaching this decision, we evaluated the increasing Covid-19 diagnoses in the United States and around the world and the effectiveness of vaccines in reducing infections, hospitalizations and deaths,” the company said in a statement.
Genentech, another biotech company based in San Francisco, announced last week that it would join the growing list of companies requiring its employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. While the company has provided a few exceptions for medical and religious reasons, approximately 13,000 of Genentech’s employees will be required to be fully inoculated prior to returning to the workplace.
“Our decision is grounded in science and driven by the imperative to protect our people and sustain our research, development and manufacturing of essential medicines for patients facing serious and life-threatening diseases, including Covid-19,” Genentech said in a statement. According to the company, around 80% of its employees have already been fully vaccinated against the virus.
Genentech represents one of many companies that repurposed an existing drug, tocilizumab, into a treatment for COVID-19. Tocilizumab received emergency use authorization from the FDA in June for the treatment of hospitalized adults and children treated with corticosteroids and supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation or oxygenation.
Also last week, Pfizer announced it will require all its employees and contractors in the U.S. to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing for the disease. Pfizer, which developed its COVID-19 vaccine with BioNTech, says the initiative was implemented “to protect the health and safety of our colleagues and the communities we serve.”
Similar to Genentech, Pfizer is allowing some exceptions for people with medical conditions or religious objections. Pfizer is also strongly encouraging employees outside the U.S. to be vaccinated in their own countries. The company currently has approximately 29,4000 employees based in the U.S.
“Outside the U.S., the company is strongly encouraging all colleagues who are able to do so in their countries get vaccinated,” said Pamela Eisele, a spokesperson for Pfizer, in a statement made to CNBC. “Colleagues who have medical conditions or religious objections will be able to seek accommodations. Colleagues are still required to adhere to all COVID-19 state, local and Pfizer safety procedures while engaged in Pfizer work.”
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