COVID-19 vaccine maker AstraZeneca requires US employees to get vaccinated

COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca is requiring all of its U.S. employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus if they plan on returning to the workplace or need to interact with customers.

“At AstraZeneca, we are driven by science and every day we push the boundaries to deliver life-changing medicines. To safeguard the health and wellbeing of our employees and communities, we must follow the science and as part of our return to workplace approach, we will require all US-based AstraZeneca and Alexion employees who are onsite or visiting our customers to be vaccinated against COVID-19,” a spokesperson for the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company said in a statement to The Hill on Monday.

“We will provide accommodations for those unable to be vaccinated due to medical, religious or other restrictions,” they added. “We continue to work diligently to ensure the health and safety of our employees and have in place at our sites a number of safety measures and guidelines, including providing access to personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing.”

The spokesperson said the decision was made about two weeks ago and employees were subsequently notified. The New York Times reported on the policy earlier Monday.

Though AstraZeneca manufactures its own vaccine for use in approved countries, the shot has not been approved for use in the United States, meaning its U.S. employees will need to get a vaccine made by one of the company’s competitors, such as Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson.

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is one of four that has been approved by the EU’s European Medicines Agency (EMA). The shot was the center of of some controversy earlier this year after concerns were raised regarding a possible link between the vaccine and blood clotting.

Numerous European countries decided to halt usage of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Though the EMA maintained that it was safe for most, the agency also said it should not be used for those who have blood clots or low platelets. Some countries moved to keep the AstraZeneca vaccine from being administered to those under the age of 30, instead offering them alternatives from other companies.