Baptist Health now requires employees to receive COVID vaccine

Baptist Health, the parent organization of Baptist Health Corbin, announced Tuesday that it is now requiring all of its employees to be vaccinated against COVID–19.

Officials noted that between 65 and 70 percent of the group’s nearly 23,000 employees have already been vaccinated, leaving approximately 8,000 unvaccinated.

With the sharp rise in cases involving the delta variant, primarily among those who are unvaccinated, hospital officials announced the decision.

“Baptist Health’s top priority is the health and safety of its staff, providers, patients and community,” officials wrote in a statement released Tuesday. “Details of the plans are still being shared with staff at the Baptist Health Medical Group.”

As of Monday night, the majority of Kentucky’s 120 counties were in the COVID–19 incidence rate red zone.

Clay County had the highest rate in the state at 104.8. Laurel County was at 70.5. Whitley County and Knox County were at 55.2 and 55.5, respectively.

McCreary, Bell, Pulaski and Harlan counties were also in the red.

Only Hickman County in western Kentucky was in the green.

Baptist Health operates nine hospitals across Kentucky. In addition to Corbin, it has facilities in: Richmond, Lexington, Louisville, LaGrange, Madisonville, Paducah, Floyd County and Hardin County.