Advice for employers on COVID boosters from Dr. Jha 

I had the honor of participating in a panel discussion with Dr. Ashish Jha, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, in a webcast hosted last month by the Health Action Alliance. I thought our blog readers might be interested in Dr. Jha’s advice for employers regarding the latest COVID booster. He also had some kind words for employers, so of course I wanted to pass those along as well.

Dr. Jha’s advice:

• Help workers understand the current risks of COVID-19 and flu. COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are up about 56%, and we’re in the middle of the worst flu season in a decade.
• Make it easy and convenient for them to get protected. Offering the flu shot and the updated COVID-19 booster together on-site “makes an enormous difference” in getting workers to follow through on their intention to get vaccinated and boosted. Or, offer time off to get vaccinated and encourage workers to get both shots.
• Be transparent. Employers are a trusted source for good information, and many are communicating regularly about the importance of vaccines and treatments. Lean in on the things we do know: “Your chances of getting COVID-19 are cut by about half with the new booster.” Be open about the limits: “While there is a chance of getting COVID-19 even if you’re boosted, staying up to date on booster shots is especially effective at preventing serious illness.” And be clear about what we don’t know: “There is still a lot we are learning about long COVID, but people who are up to date on their boosters have a dramatically lower risk of long COVID.”

Dr. Jha also paid employers a compliment: “It is very clear to us sitting at the White House that there is a lot we can do here. But at the end of the day, it's the employers on the frontline working with employees and working with customers that move the country forward. I am so grateful to you for making sure that our country gets back on track after what has been a once- in-a-century health crisis. We're in such a better place. We still have work to do, but I am confident if we do it together, we're going to continue making progress.”

You can watch the full presentation on Emerging Workplace Health Trends for 2023 anytime on-demand. In addition, the Health Action Alliance has a toolkit for employers to use to increase booster rates among your workforce.