A large provider of health care in the Upper Midwest, says 97% of it’s workforce has complied with a mandate to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday or potentially lose their job. In July, Sanford Health announced it was mandating COVID-19 Vaccinations for all it’s employees

Sanford Health has 46 hospitals and more than 200 senior care locations in twenty-six states and ten countries.

The company, which bills itself as one of the largest rural health care systems in the country, has a total of about 48,000 employees. It’s based in Sioux Falls, and has a major medical centers in Fargo and Bismarck, North Dakota, as well as here in Bemidji.

Sanford Officials say as a result of their high employee vaccination rate, they have seen a decline in COVID-19 infections and sick leave among staff.

Employees who are not fully vaccinated or don’t have an approved exemption by Nov. 1st will be suspended for up to sixty days without pay and removed from the work schedule. Continued failure to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine requirements within sixty days will result in the employee being considered to have voluntarily resigned from their employment.

Sanford Officials say they expect the number of staff departures tied to the vaccine mandate will be minimal.

By — Nathan Datres