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All of New York State’s 450,000 healthcare workers in hospitals and nursing and others must be vaccinated against the coronavirus by September 27 to help curb the spread of the COVID delta strain, a Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.
The order issued by the state health department covers staff in private and public hospitals, nursing homes and other elderly care facilities and assembly places.
There will be limited exceptions for medical or religious reasons.
The ordinance recognizes what The Post has reported in recent months: that an unacceptably high rate of medical workers are still unvaccinated in hospitals and nursing homes.
About 75 percent of the state’s 450,000 hospital workers have completed their vaccination round – in most cases, they have received two doses.
This means that one in four hospital workers is not vaccinated.
Meanwhile, only 68% of the state’s 145,500 nursing home workers – serving frail elderly residents most at risk of COVID – have been gibbed.
This means that one in three nursing home staff is not vaccinated.
More than 54,000 New Yorkers have died from COVID-19, according to the John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
About 16,000 residents of nursing homes and other facilities for the elderly have been killed by the virus.
Cuomo – who is retiring in August. 25 amid sexual harassment scandals – said his successor Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul was briefed ahead of the announcement.
“The Delta variant is spreading across the country and into New York – daily new positives have increased by more than 1,000% in the past six weeks, and more than 80% of recent positives in New York state are linked to the Delta variant, ”Cuomo said.
“Now we must act again to stop the spread. Our health heroes fought the battle against the virus, and now we need them to lead the battle between the variant and the vaccine. “
Cuomo previously ordered state government employees and MTA and port authority staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Labor Day.
Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said: “While we have made huge strides in vaccinating New Yorkers, this pandemic is far from over and more needs to be done. Data and science tell us that getting more people vaccinated as quickly as possible is the best way to protect people, prevent further mutations, and get us back to our daily routines.
“This mandate will help both close the vaccination gap and reduce the spread of the Delta variant. I want to thank all of the healthcare workers in New York State for stepping up once again and showing our state that getting vaccinated is safe, easy, and most importantly, effective. “
Groups representing the leadership of the hospital and nursing home industry have endorsed the mandate of vaccines as sound public health policy.
“The Greater New York Hospital Association supports New York’s decision to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all healthcare workers,” said GNYHA President Kenneth Raske.
The New York mandate will help ensure that hospitals and other health care providers can provide the best patient care while keeping their workers and communities safe, ”said Raske.
The vaccine requirement “makes perfect sense,” said Michael Balboni, executive director of the Greater NY Health Care Facilities Association, representing nursing homes in the metro area.
He said the vaccination mandate will help “protect residents, families and other staff.”
The health care workers’ union – Local 1199 of the Service Employees Union – did not immediately comment. The union resisted a vaccination mandate.
The state Department of Health has also authorized a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for New Yorkers with weakened immune systems, following a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week. Eligible New Yorkers can receive their third dose 28 days after completing their two-dose vaccine series.
Groups representing the leadership of the hospital and nursing home industry have endorsed the mandate of vaccines as sound public health policy.
“The Greater New York Hospital Association supports New York’s decision to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all healthcare workers,” GNYHA President Kenneth Raske said. increase, according to a GNYHA analysis of state data. A week ago there were 1,345 hospitalizations, they said.
“The New York mandate will help ensure that hospitals and other health care providers can provide the best patient care while keeping their workers and communities safe,” said Raske.
The vaccine requirement “makes perfect sense,” said Michael Balboni, executive director of the Greater NY Health Care Facilities Association, representing nursing homes in the metro area.
He said the vaccination mandate will help “protect residents, families and other staff.”
The healthcare workers’ union – Local 1199 of the Service Employees Union – did not immediately comment. The union resisted a vaccination mandate.
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