Kaiser Permanente mandating COVID-19 vaccine for employees and physicians

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Kaiser Permanente has announced that the COVID-19 vaccine will be required for all employees and physicians.

Kaiser joins the list of major companies that have mandated the vaccine for its employees.

The organization has set a target of September 30 to have all employees fully vaccinated.

Officials say all unvaccinated employees and physicians will be required to be fully vaccinated or apply for medical or religious exemption.

Kaiser Permanente has announced that the COVID-19 vaccine will be required for all employees and physicians.

As of July 31, officials say that 77.8% of Kaiser Permanente employees and more than 95% of Permanente Medical Group physicians have been fully vaccinated.

"As the country's largest integrated care delivery system, we feel it is our responsibility to do everything we can to help bring an end to the pandemic, especially in light of the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases from the highly infectious Delta variant" said Greg A. Adams, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan, Inc.

Kaiser is the largest non-government employer in L.A. County, according to the Los Angeles Almanac.