Sam Raudins is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Columbia Memorial Health announced August 11, it will join 10 other Capital Region hospitals in requiring staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine. CMH came to the decision roughly a week after Albany Medical Center announced its vaccine mandate. Columbia Memorial serves Columbia, Greene and Dutchess counties with a 192-bed acute care facility in Hudson, along with 40 outlying care centers. Those required to receive the vaccine include front-line staff, volunteers, students and operations staff, according to a CMH statement. The messaging on when this must happen was vague. Hospital spokesman William Van Slyke said employees are to be vaccinated as soon as is feasible. Columbia Memorial joins Albany Med and other affiliates, Glens Falls Hospital and Saratoga Hospital, in making the policy decision. Other area health-care facilities joining the mandate include Ellis Medicine, Nathan Littauer Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam and St. Peter’s Health Partners including St. Peter’s Hospital, Samaritan Hospital and Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Ronald Pope, vice president of medical services at Columbia Memorial, said, “Vaccination has had a staggering impact on the spread of the disease. In June, over 99 percent of all COVID-related hospitalizations were unvaccinated people. At CMH, our top priority is the health of the community and our staff.” Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.