NY announces Covid vaccination requirement for healthcare workers
Employees at hospitals, long-term care facilities need first dose by Sept. 27
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today that all healthcare workers in New York State, including staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, adult care, and other congregate care settings, will be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by Monday, September 27.
The State Department of Health will issue Section 16 Orders requiring all hospital, long-term care facilities, and nursing homes to develop and implement a policy mandating employee vaccinations, with limited exceptions for those with religious or medical reasons. To date, 75% of the state’s 450,000 hospital workers, 74% of the state’s 30,000 adult care facility workers, and 68% of the state’s 145,500 nursing home workers have completed their vaccine series. Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration was briefed prior to the announcement.
“The Delta variant is spreading across the nation and across New York – new daily positives are up over 1000% over the last six weeks, and over 80 percent of recent positives in New York State are linked to the Delta variant,” Cuomo said. “We must now act again to stop the spread. Our healthcare heroes led the battle against the virus, and now we need them to lead the battle between the variant and the vaccine.”
Cuomo also announced that the Department of Health has authorized a third Covid-19 vaccine dose for New Yorkers with compromised immune systems, following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation last week. Eligible New Yorkers can receive their third dose 28 days after the completion of their two-dose vaccine series, effective immediately.
The CDC is currently recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose, including people who have:
- Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood;
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medications to suppress the immune system;
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system;
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome);
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection;
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, cancer chemotherapy that causes sever immunosuppression, or other medications that may suppress your immune response.
New Yorkers should contact their healthcare provider about whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them at this time.
