ACS Required Staff to Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in 2021: What the Policy Said

What the American Cancer Society announced

On August 24, 2021, the American Cancer Society (ACS) published a press release titled "American Cancer Society Announces COVID-19 Vaccine Policy for Staff." It said all full- and part-time staff "will need to be fully vaccinated by November 1, 2021."

The release said the policy was "only for employees." It did not extend to volunteers or program participants "at this time."

So this was a requirement for people who worked for ACS. It was not a rule for patients, and it was not a law.

An earlier statement, in July 2021

About a month before, on July 28, 2021, ACS said it supported mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers. That statement quoted its chief executive, Dr. Karen E. Knudsen: "We support mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all health care workers. This is urgent."

In the same statement, ACS said it was requiring vaccines for staff and volunteers who work with patients and caregivers at its Hope Lodge residential facilities and in its Road to Recovery transportation program.

Hope Lodge gives people free places to stay during treatment. Road to Recovery drives patients to appointments. In both programs, staff and volunteers spend time close to people who may have weak immune systems.

The reason ACS gave

The August release gave this reason: "COVID-19 continues to pose a serious health threat to cancer patients, survivors, and the public at large." It described the vaccines as safe and effective at lowering the risk of severe illness.

That is ACS explaining its own decision. This page does not add a medical claim of its own.

What the release did not say

• The release did not mention exemptions or accommodations. We do not know from these pages how requests were handled.
• It did not say what happens to an employee who does not comply.
• The release is from 2021. We did not find a source that says whether the policy is still in force today, so we do not say it is.

Why this matters to patients

People with cancer often have weaker immune defenses. That can be true during chemotherapy and some other treatments. Programs that serve them often ask staff and volunteers to follow health rules. Vaccination is one such rule.

You do not need to know an organization's staff policy to plan your own care. What matters more is talking with your own care team about your own vaccines and their timing. Our page on COVID-19 vaccine timing during chemotherapy explains what to ask.

If you use lodging or transportation help, our guides on help with lodging and transportation to treatment list where to find it. Ask each program directly what its current health rules are.

Questions to ask your care team

• Which vaccines are right for me now, and when should I get them?
• Does the timing of my treatment change when I should be vaccinated?
• If I use a lodging or ride program, are there health rules I should know about?
• Who in my household should be up to date on vaccines?

Sources

• American Cancer Society, "American Cancer Society Announces COVID-19 Vaccine Policy for Staff," August 24, 2021: https://pressroom.cancer.org/COVIDVacPolicy
• American Cancer Society, "ACS Supports Vaccination Mandates for Front-Line Health Care Workers," July 28, 2021: https://pressroom.cancer.org/statementonvax
• National Cancer Institute, "COVID-19 Vaccines for People with Cancer": https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines-people-with-cancer

An AI-assisted editorial system helped prepare this page. No named medical reviewer has reviewed it unless one is listed. It is not medical advice and does not suggest a test or treatment.

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