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COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are highly available across the country. Employers large and small are bringing teams back to the workplace. The pandemic threat remains high everywhere, but especially for unvaccinated individuals.

Risk is also high for employers as they determine how to maximize pandemic protections for their workforce, increase vaccinations, and ensure business continuity. The Vaccinations Employer Playbook provides resources to ensure all of their workforce is vaccinated.

Vaccination Recommendations

Indy’s business community has a significant role to play in getting our vaccination rates up. Follow these six recommendations to increase rates among your employees:

  1. Encourage all eligible employees to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
  2. Provide PTO to all employees for vaccination, side-effect recovery, and for family member vaccination.
  3. Know your workforce’s vaccination rate—implement COVID-19 safety protocols accordingly.
  4. Understand legal guardrails on vaccine incentives, mandates, and employee medical information.
  5. Host on-site vaccination clinics for your workforce and community.
  6. Partner with community organizations to maximize reach and enhance credibility.
 

Vaccination Recommendations

Indy’s business community has a significant role to play in getting our vaccination rates up. Follow these six recommendations to increase rates among your employees:

  1. Encourage all eligible employees to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
  2. Provide PTO to all employees for vaccination, side-effect recovery, and for family member vaccination.
  3. Know your workforce’s vaccination rate—implement COVID-19 safety protocols accordingly.
  4. Understand legal guardrails on vaccine incentives, mandates, and employee medical information.
  5. Host on-site vaccination clinics for your workforce and community.
  6. Partner with community organizations to maximize reach and enhance credibility.

An Evolving Virus

Without mass vaccination, the COVID-19 virus is evolving into new strains, including the Delta and Omicron variants.

  • Prevalence: The Delta variant represent the majority of cases across the US and the Indy Region. Omicron has been detected in most states and territories and is rapidly increasing the proportion of COVID-19 cases it is causing.
  • Spread: Delta is 40-60% more transmissible than Alpha and nearly 2X more than the original Wuhan strain. The Omicron variant likely will spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and how easily Omicron spreads compared to Delta remains unknown.
  • Severity: The Delta variant causes more infections, more severe illness, and spreads faster than early forms of COVID-19. Unvaccinated individuals account for the vast majority of COVID deaths. Omicron severity remains unknown.
  • Impact: CDC Director Walensky called the current situation a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”.
  • Employer response: Redoubling efforts to get workforce vaccinated is imperative. Many employers considering mandates or other strong inducements.
  • Booster Shots: The CDC has approved vaccine boosters for all individuals over the age of 16. 
More on the Delta variant.
 

An Evolving Virus

Without mass vaccination, the COVID-19 virus is evolving into new strains, including the Delta and Omicron variants.

  • Prevalence: The Delta variant represent the majority of cases across the US and the Indy Region. Omicron has been detected in most states and territories and is rapidly increasing the proportion of COVID-19 cases it is causing.
  • Spread: Delta is 40-60% more transmissible than Alpha and nearly 2X more than the original Wuhan strain. The Omicron variant likely will spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and how easily Omicron spreads compared to Delta remains unknown.
  • Severity: The Delta variant causes more infections, more severe illness, and spreads faster than early forms of COVID-19. Unvaccinated individuals account for the vast majority of COVID deaths. Omicron severity remains unknown.
  • Impact: CDC Director Walensky called the current situation a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”.
  • Employer response: Redoubling efforts to get workforce vaccinated is imperative. Many employers considering mandates or other strong inducements.
  • Booster Shots: The CDC has approved vaccine boosters for all individuals over the age of 16. 
More on the Delta variant.

Vaccine Equity

Throughout the pandemic, Black residents and other communities of color have faced disproportionate risks related to COVID-19. Vaccination rates have also been persistently lower for Black, Hispanic, and Asian communities than their white counterparts. Closing this vaccine equity gap remains an imperative for business and community leaders alike. Follow the links below to see the latest data on vaccination rates by race.

Indiana COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard
(statewide data, filter for county-specific results)

Indiana Health Information Exchange Vaccination Report
(county-specific data profiles)

More on vaccine equity from the National Academies of Science Engineering & Medicine.
 

Vaccine Equity

Throughout the pandemic, Black residents and other communities of color have faced disproportionate risks related to COVID-19. Vaccination rates have also been persistently lower for Black, Hispanic, and Asian communities than their white counterparts. Closing this vaccine equity gap remains an imperative for business and community leaders alike. Follow the links below to see the latest data on vaccination rates by race.

Indiana COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard
(statewide data, filter for county-specific results)

Indiana Health Information Exchange Vaccination Report
(county-specific data profiles)

More on vaccine equity from the National Academies of Science Engineering & Medicine.

Thanks to the following partners for making this Playbook possible:

 

Questions about vaccination best practices for employers? Please contact Taylor Hughes at thughes@indychamber.com.