New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s president and vice president announced on June 11 that it is mandating COVID-19 vaccines for all of its 48,000 staff members, with the deadline for vaccination being Sept. 1.

Hospital President Dr. Steven Corwin and Vice President Dr. Laura Forese made the announcement in an email blast to hospital staff. The mandate includes all employees, such as doctors, nurses, clinical rotators, vendors, students and volunteers.

“We care for sick people — some critically so — every day, and we are responsible for their safety while in our care,” the hospital was quoted as saying inThe New York Post.

“The stakes in this matter are high, and the evidence is clear that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the most important and responsible action we can take. In light of this evidence, New York-Presbyterian will be requiring all employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or to obtain a valid exemption.”

About 70% of New York-Presbyterian’s employees are already vaccinated, according to an article from The Daily News..

Exemptions to the mandate will be granted by request for medical and religious reasons and pregnancy. Staff must apply for their exemption by Aug. 1, which is a full month before the vaccination deadline.

Employees who fail to receive the vaccine or get exemption by the fall deadline may face termination.

The 16-campus hospital system is the first New York hospital or medical center to make a vaccination mandate so far.

New York City’s public hospital system, NYC Health + Hospitals, will continue to offer vaccines to its staff, but it will not mandate vaccinations for employees, according to an article from CBS Local.

Northwell Health — which includes Maimonides Medical Center, Staten Island University Hospital, Lenox Hill and Lenox Health Greenwich Village, Long Island Jewish Forest Hills and more — has also said it will not be requiring vaccinations.

“As a leading health care organization, we believe it is essential to require vaccinations to protect our patients and ourselves against the threat of further harm from the pandemic and the possibility of more dangerous mutations,” Corwin and Forese’s statement read.