In January 2021 we were all abuzz with news about the global vaccine rollout, and many of us viewed it as a “light at the end of the tunnel” for the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, over 8 months later, we all have a better understanding of what impact the vaccine has had, and how it has changed both governmental regulations and workplace requirements. 

Global Vaccination Progress

Globally, 32% of the population has received at least one dose, and 24% has been fully vaccinated, leaving two thirds of the global population unvaccinated. However, vaccinations are progressing at very different rates in different nations. Of the 217 countries that have begun their vaccine rollout, 20 nations have less than 1% of their population fully vaccinated and 138 countries have vaccinated 50% or fewer. This discrepancy is highly correlated with wealth. High income countries and regions are vaccinating their populations over 20 times faster than those with the lowest incomes. Data shows that the least wealthy 52 places - which account for over 20% of the world’s population - only have 2.7% of the vaccines and only 1.3% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose. 

This discrepancy is worrying for all countries, as we are a global economy, and many aspects of personal and professional life involve movement across borders. As the world returns to “normal”, this discrepancy will limit travel, trade, and other aspects of life, or lead to continued cross-border transmission. Additionally, as variants like Delta emerge, we are seeing that the vaccine is less effective against the new strains than against Alpha. As more of the global population remains unvaccinated, there is opportunity for more virulent strains to emerge, potentially leading to lower efficacy with the current vaccines (as we have seen with Delta). 

Vaccination Progress in the US

In the US, much like the global statistics, there is a great amount of discrepancy from region to region. The state average is 52%, however this ranges from 36% in Alabama to 72% in DC. As of August 2nd, only 20 states had vaccinated more than 50% of their population. 

Although vaccination rates dipped through June and July, August saw an increase in rates. This surge of vaccinations may be related to the jump in COVID infection rates due to variants like Delta, and other such factors. The coming weeks may also see an additional rise in vaccinations, as the FDA has now approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, the first such vaccine to be approved by the agency. If the US picked its vaccination rates up to what it was in early April, all eligible people could be vaccinated within a month and a half.

This is unlikely to happen, however. Between 14% and 26% of all Americans say that they have not been vaccinated and will not do so in the future. The reason for vaccine hesitancy is most frequently cited as concerns about side effects, coupled with an overall distrust of vaccinations. Because of this attitudinal barrier to getting vaccinated, mandates may be required to increase vaccination rates among those who are hesitant.

Hesitancy is not the only barrier to vaccination, however. Of those who are unvaccinated, 11% state that a critical reason preventing them from getting the vaccine is not having time to get it, or time to deal with the potential side effects. Four percent do not have child care, and 3% are unable to find a reliable method of transportation to the vaccination site.Ten percent of Americans say that an existing health condition prevents them from being vaccinated. 

How are Workplaces Impacted by Vaccination Rates?

Recently, the CDC altered its recommendations, reverting back to mask recommendations for all, not just those who are unvaccinated. This change in guidance speaks to the continued need for preventative measures in public spaces, including workplaces. In the US, OSHA continues recommending multiple layers of control in workplaces, such as social distancing, masking policies, and improving ventilation. In Canada, employers are required to investigate and report all confirmed COVID-19 cases. 

As so many remain unvaccinated, OSHA recommends that employers implement multi-layered interventions to protect unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers. This follows the concept of the Hierarchy of Hazard Control. Some recommendations from OSHA include:

• Facilitate employees getting vaccinated

• Instruct any workers who are infected, unvaccinated workers who have had close contact with someone who tested positive, and all workers with symptoms to stay home from work

• Implement social distancing in all communal work areas for unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers

• Provide workers with face coverings or surgical masks, as appropriate

• Educate and train workers on your COVID-19 policies and procedures

• Suggest or require that unvaccinated customers, visitors, or guests wear face coverings in public-facing workplaces

• Maintain ventilation systems

• Perform routine cleaning and disinfection

• Record and report COVID-19 infections and deaths

Other ways of improving workplace safety curing the COVID-19 pandemic can be found in this guide. 

The onus on employers for improving safety can impact productivity, profits, and employee happiness. To help combat these effects, it is important to ensure that your organization is using all the tools it can to create a smooth and seamless experience for employees and customers alike. Two of the biggest areas that OSHA identifies as opportunities to mitigate the transmission COVID-19 are in spaces of close contact or extended duration of contact. Implementing a digital contact tracing tool like Proxxi Contact that also provides social distancing notifications to employees can help in both of these cases.

Want to know how other businesses have handled the challenges that COVID-19 presents? Check out these case studies:

Creating a Workplace Plan

Creating a COVID-19 Action Plan

In our next post we will be discussing herd immunity and the COVID-19 vaccine.

Data in this article was obtained on 20/08/2021 and may not reflect current statistics for COVID-19 statistics or standards