NEW YORK — Nearly all health care workers in New York will need to be vaccinated come this fall, according to a new mandate announced Monday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
All health care workers including staff at hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, adult care and other congregate care settings, will be required to start their vaccination process by the end of September, the governor said.
Health care workers must get their first dose by Sept. 27, per the mandate.
The New York state Department of Health will issue Section 16 Orders requiring all hospitals, long-term care facilities and nursing homes to develop and implement a policy mandating staff vaccinations.
There will be limited exceptions for those unable to get the vaccine due to religious or medical reasons, according to Cuomo.
“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 said in a statement.
The stricter and broader mandate expands on Cuomo’s previously announced mandate for all patient-facing health care workers at state hospitals, taking effect Labor Day, or Sept. 6.
To date, 75% of the state’s approximately 450,000 hospital workers have been fully vaccinated, as well as 74% of the state’s roughly 30,000 adult care facility workers and 68% of the state’s approximately 145,500 nursing home staff members, according to the governor’s office.
