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In issuing a major directive during his last few weeks in office, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said on Monday that all health care workers in the state, including staff in all hospitals, nursing homes nurses, adult care and other collective care facilities, must have received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine by September 27.
The state health department, Cuomo said in a press release, will issue special orders intended to prevent a “danger to human health” to require all employees of hospitals and homes to nursing to get vaccinated, with a few exceptions for these. for religious or medical reasons. He cited the trajectory of the Delta variant across the state and said “now we must act again to stop the spread.”
To date, 75% of the approximately 450,000 employees in state hospitals, 74% of the 30,000 employees in state adult care facilities, and 68% of the 145,500 employees in state nursing homes were fully vaccinated, the state said.
The mandate will apply to all hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities, public and private. Unlike state officials, who have the option of being tested weekly instead of getting vaccinated, employees in private hospitals and nursing homes will no longer have the option of testing, said Rich Azzopardi. , principal adviser to the governor.
“We are interested in stopping Delta in its tracks, especially in places where the most vulnerable are at risk,” Mr. Azzopardi said.
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration, the statement said, was made aware ahead of the announcement.
Mr Cuomo resigned last Tuesday amid a sexual harassment scandal, but said he would stay on for another two weeks. No press conference on the new mandates was scheduled, according to Azzopardi.
In New York, the mayor’s office provided support, but seemed eager to look beyond Mr. Cuomo’s final days. “New York City wholeheartedly supports vaccine requirements for healthcare workers,” said Bill Neidhardt, press secretary to Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We look forward to working with new Governor Hochul on this and other Covid vaccination strategies. “
The Greater New York Hospital Association, which represents 140 hospitals and health systems across the state, has expressed support for the decision, citing how Covid hospitalizations have jumped over the past month.
More than 1,700 people are hospitalized for Covid-19 in New York state on Sunday, up from 360 a month ago, according to state data. The total number of hospitalizations in the state, however, remains well below the peak of last winter and well below the nearly 19,000 people hospitalized with the virus in mid-April of last year, when New York City was there. epicenter of the country Covid-19.
“This is a critical time requiring bold action,” Kenneth E. Raske, president of the association, said in a statement.
The governor also hinted that a state vaccine requirement for businesses and teachers may be underway.
“I have strongly urged private companies to implement vaccination-only admission policies and school districts to enforce vaccination of teachers,” he said in the statement. “Neither will happen without the state legally mandating the actions – private companies will not enforce a vaccine mandate unless it is the law, and local school districts will be reluctant to make these tough decisions without legal direction. “
Understanding the state of vaccine and mask mandates in the United States
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- Mask rules. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July recommended that all Americans, regardless of their immunization status, wear masks in indoor public places in areas affected by epidemics, a reversal of guidelines it offered in May. . See where the CDC guidelines would apply and where states have instituted their own mask policies. The battle for masks has become controversial in some states, with some local leaders defying state bans.
- Vaccination rules. . . and bfactories. Private companies are increasingly imposing coronavirus vaccines on their employees, with different approaches. Such warrants are authorized by law and have been confirmed in court challenges.
- College and universities. More than 400 colleges and universities require students to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Almost all of them are in states that voted for President Biden.
- Schools. On August 11, California announced it would require teachers and staff in public and private schools to be vaccinated or tested regularly, the first state in the country to do so. A survey released in August found that many American parents of school-aged children are opposed to mandatory vaccines for students, but were more in favor of mask mandates for students, teachers and staff who don’t. don’t have their vaccines.
- Hospitals and medical centers. Many hospitals and large healthcare systems are requiring their employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, citing an increase in the number of cases fueled by the Delta variant and stubbornly low vaccination rates in their communities, even within their hand -work.
- new York. On August 3, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York announced that proof of vaccination would be required from workers and customers for indoor meals, gyms, shows and other indoor situations, becoming the first city America to require vaccines for a wide range of activities. . Employees of the city’s hospitals must also get vaccinated or undergo weekly tests. Similar rules are in place for New York State employees.
- At the federal level. The Pentagon has announced that it will seek to make coronavirus vaccination mandatory for the nation’s 1.3 million active-duty soldiers “no later than” mid-September. President Biden announced that all federal civilian employees should be vaccinated against the coronavirus or undergo regular testing, social distancing, mask requirements and restrictions on most travel.
These steps follow recent announcements by Mr. Cuomo that Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Port Authority employees working at New York facilities, as well as all other state employees, will need to be vaccinated or tested. every week before Labor Day. Employees in contact with patients in public hospitals will need to be vaccinated and not have a testing option.
As cases have surged across the United States, private companies and several governments have introduced more vaccination rules for workers. California and Washington state recently announced vaccination mandates for healthcare workers in their states.
Mayor Muriel E. Bowser of Washington, DC, announced Monday that all health workers in the city should get vaccinated or tested regularly. All healthcare professionals, emergency service providers and unlicensed healthcare workers should receive at least one dose of a vaccine by September 30 or undergo regular testing, he said. she declared.
Once a vaccine receives full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, Washington will stop authorizing people choose the tests instead.
“As soon as one of the vaccines is fully approved, no one will be granted an exemption, unless it is for sincere religious beliefs or for medical reasons documented by their health care provider,” said Dr LaQuandra Nesbitt, director of the Washington Department of Health, said at a press conference.
Last week, Ms Bowser asked the city’s 37,000 employees and contractors who work with the city to get vaccinated or undergo weekly tests.
Separately, New York State has also authorized a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine for immunocompromised residents, in accordance with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This mandate will help both close the vaccination gap and reduce the spread of the Delta variant,” state health commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in the statement. “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. “
Daniel E. Slotnik contributed reporting.
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