COVID-19 VACCINE NOTICE

On November 5, 2021 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a rule requiring all workers in healthcare facilities, including faculty and students engaged in clinical education in healthcare facilities, to have received the COVID-19 vaccine.  This rule was challenged in multiple courts and was addressed by the United States Supreme Court in a ruling issued on Thursday, January 13, 2022.  The US Supreme Court ruled that the CMS vaccine mandate is constitutional and, therefore, the CMS vaccine mandate for healthcare workers remains in effect.  Following the ruling, CMS provided updated guidance indicating that all healthcare workers, who have not been granted an exemption by the healthcare facility, shall have received their first vaccination shot on or before February 14, 2022 and the second shot shall have been received on or before March 15, 2022.

While LCTCS institutions are not covered under the CMS vaccine mandate, as a faculty member or student with clinical education obligations, you are subject to the CMS vaccine mandate when your clinical education obligations with our clinical partners are at a facility covered by the CMS vaccine mandate. As such, it is necessary that you follow the vaccine policies enforced by our clinical partners. Please note that CMS requires facilities to allow for exemptions to the vaccine requirement as a reasonable accommodation for a disability or a sincerely held religious belief, observance, or practice and for medical reasons. Our clinical partners have established exemptions as part of their policies and procedures and in alignment with Federal law. If you believe that you are entitled to an exemption, you must follow the policies and procedures of the clinical partner in which you are completing your clinical education obligation to request your exemption. LCTCS cannot grant you an exemption to the vaccine mandate in order to perform your clinical education obligations with our clinical partners.

Individuals who are unvaccinated and are not granted an exemption by the facility will not be able to fulfill their clinical education obligations. If you are fully vaccinated, we ask that you cooperate with our clinical partners in providing them the necessary documentation to comply with their vaccine policies and the CMS vaccine mandate. If you are not yet fully vaccinated, please ensure that you follow all deadlines for obtaining vaccines or requesting exemptions provided by our clinical partners. 

We will issue additional written guidance that should answer many of the questions you may have. In the interim, if you have questions regarding your specific situation or believe you are eligible for an exemption under federal law, please contact Dr. Carry DeAtley, Dean of Nursing and Allied Health, at carry.deatley@solacc.edu or 337-521-6605.