By Tim Mastro

LEWES — Beebe Healthcare’s current employees who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 will be tested weekly, the health system clarified on Monday.

However, new employees will be required to receive the vaccine, Beebe President and CEO Dr. David A. Tam said. Dr. Tam added Beebe has been waiting since August on state and federal guidelines to implement these requirements.

Beebe offered vaccine incentives for all team members prior to the state’s Sept. 30 deadline, Dr. Tam said.

“It is mandatory for our staff to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing as a condition of employment in accordance to the established guidelines by the state,” Dr. Tam said in a statement. “This alignment with state and federal government health authorities is consistent with how we have approached policies and procedures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.”

Beebe did not say what percentage of its employees are vaccinated. During a recent virtual town hall, chief population health officer Dr. Bill Chasanov said Beebe’s vaccination rate was higher than the state’s — currently 60.6% of Delaware’s populations has received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health.

Dr. Tam added Beebe will “continue to consistently and aggressively” encourage its staff to get vaccinated while taking all the necessary precautions to lower the risk of transmission.

“With the highly contagious delta variant spreading in our community, it is very important for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals to take extra precaution to prevent the spread of the virus,” Dr. Tam said. “Our goal is to ensure that patients are not exposed to COVID-19 while at our facilities. That’s also why masking and the proper use of Personal Protection Equipment are required for all staff to ensure a safe environment at our care sites, which has been demonstrated throughout the pandemic.”

“Beebe has been caring for Sussex County for 105 years, and we are grateful for this privilege,” he added. “We remain steadfast in our belief that getting the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the best things we all can do to end the pandemic.”