Pharmacy group Dis-Chem will introduce a mandatory vaccination requirement for staff members from 1 February 2022.
“The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the country both socially and economically, and with the onset of the new Omicron Covid variant, Dis-Chem’s top priority is to ensure the health and safety of its staff, customers and community. For this reason, it has advised that all staff must be vaccinated,” the company said.
For those who won’t vaccinate for specified reasons – and to maximise the general safety of the public – a weekly negative Covid-19 test will need to be produced before entering the workplace, Dis-Chem said.
“Covid-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and highly effective in reducing the risk of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 – the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 – in preventing serious illness and death, and in limiting the spread of the virus.”
Dis-Chem said has gone to great lengths to make vaccines easily available for all employees and this commitment will not change. It continues to urge those who have not yet been vaccinated to get their jab and has seen overwhelming support for this initiative from the public and employees.
The group said it also remains wholly committed to supporting the government’s national vaccine rollout via its 85 vaccination sites across South Africa.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies is the latest in a growing list of South African companies which have introduced a vaccination policy, including:
- Curro Holdings
- Discovery
- Life Healthcare
- Mediclinic
- MTN Group
- Old Mutual
- Sanlam
- Standard Bank Group
*bustech
