BY MEAGHAN CARABELLO A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR RECOVERY signal recovery as small businesses and corporations alike will be more willing and able to transition remote employees back to the office, open their doors to the public, and—hopefully—resume pre-pandemic hiring and profitability. Though many cannot wait to get the vaccine, many businesses and employers are questioning their role in promoting vaccinations. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently clarified various questions related to COVID-19 vaccinations and equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. For example, it says businesses can require employees to receive the vaccination before returning to work (with extremely limited exceptions in the cases of religious beliefs or health concerns). For the most up-to-date information regarding employment laws and COVID-19, reference www.eeoc.gov. A recent survey by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce revealed that only one-third of surveyed businesses have a plan or policy in place to address vaccination of employees or customers. Though the future of businesses’ role in the implementation of vaccine rollout is uncertain, it is understood that once we achieve herd immunity— meaning there are enough people vaccinated that that state is not susceptible to outbreaks—industries will be more likely to return to business as usual. There is no question that this is what our community and economy desperately need. It has yet to be proven what the vaccine rollout and impending herd immunity can truly mean for business. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we are not out of the woods yet. Colorado is well underway to vaccine its residents, but until vaccines—and vaccine appointments—are widely available, the community must stay vigilant in its efforts to slow the spread, including social distancing, wearing masks and maintaining hand-washing efforts. “The availability of safe and highly effective COVID-19 vaccines offers the opportunity for us to protect ourselves and our loved ones from a serious infection and keep our communities thriving,” says Dr. Amy Duckro, Infectious Diseases Expert at Kaiser Permanente. “We encourage everyone to do their part.” Vaccination We are coming out of one of the most devastating health crises in recent history. The COVID-19 global pandemic has taken the lives of approximately 3 million individuals and sickened approximately 140 million. It has wreaked havoc on our global economy, causing companies to halt operations and small businesses to shutter their doors. The arrival of effective vaccinations has brought a much-needed glimmer of hope to communities. There is an end in sight. Vaccinations 18 Business in Colorado Magazine 2021 EDSON SOUZA/ADOBE STOCK
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