The largest employer in Tri-Cities requiring its 5,000+ workers to get the COVID vaccine

The Tri-Cities’ largest single employer is requiring its workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 15.

The more than 5,000 employees of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, most of them based in Richland, were notified of the new requirement in a message from Steven Ashby, PNNL director, on Friday.

“In our view, this step is necessary to make PNNL as safe and productive as possible during this pandemic,” Ashby told staff.

The decision was made by Battelle, the DOE contractor operating PNNL, before President Joe Biden issued an executive order on Thursday for all federal employees and federal contractor employees to be vaccinated against COVID.

Although guidance on implementing the requirement has not been issued, it is expected to cover not only employees at the Department of Energy’s national laboratory in Richland but also workers at DOE’s Hanford site in Eastern Washington.

About 11,000 people are employed at the nuclear reservation by the Department of Energy and multiple contractors and subcontractors.

To comply with an earlier order from Biden, Hanford and PNNL workers were told in August that they would need to document that they were vaccinated or undergo testing for COVID-19 at least weekly.

Information on how many Hanford workers had provided proof of vaccination as of Friday afternoon was not immediately available.

PNNL, with a Friday, Sept. 10, deadline for workers reported that by midafternoon 86% of its staff said they were either fully or partially vaccinated. The remaining 14% were either unvaccinated or chose not to disclose their status to their employer.

That compares with 62% of residents of Benton County and 58% of residents of Franklin County ages 16 and older who have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“In the Tri-Cities, where most of us live, cases are hitting all-time highs, as are hospitalizations and deaths,” Ashby said in a message to staff.

The case count among PNNL staff also is up significantly, nearing 300, he said.

“This trend is worrisome as it undermines the well-being of our staff and our ability to operate the laboratory,” he said.

Vaccine exemptions

The decision to require vaccinations for all staff members was not made lightly or easily, Ashby said.

“I respect individual choice but draw the line when those choices pose a collective threat to the public good,” he said. “Or, in the case of PNNL, when choosing not to get vaccinated puts others at risk and jeopardizes our ability to operate the laboratory.”

Battelle relied on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health experts, backed by overwhelming scientific evidence, that vaccination is the best way for staff to protect themselves and others, Ashby said.

Exemptions will be granted for those with “valid medical reasons or sincerely held religious beliefs,” he said.

The DOE national laboratories in Los Alamos, N.M., and Oak Ridge, Tenn., have announced similar vaccine requirements.

The Tri-City Development Council respects the right of every business to determine their best way to keep their employees and customers safe and productive, said TRIDEC chief executive Karl Dye after PNNL announced its new requirements Friday.

But PNNL’s decision “is a great example for our community on steps that can be taken to stop this pandemic,” he said.

“Our health-care system in the Tri-Cities is at or beyond capacity because of COVID,” he said.

Since the start of the pandemic PNNL has undertaken multiple research projects to learn more about COVID-19 and to track, test and protect against the coronavirus.

Hanford prepares

Brian Vance, the DOE Hanford manager, said in a message to nuclear reservation employees Friday that officials there are waiting for more information on implementing the new presidential order.

“On the Hanford site, we have consistently evolved our posture and controls throughout the pandemic to establish and maintain a safe and healthy work environment,” he said.

He also reminded workers that the vaccine is available through HMPC Occupational Health Services at Hanford.

This story was originally published September 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM.