Beginning September 27 it will be required that all staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The announcement comes as the Delta variant surges across the U.S. and pushes some hospitals to their capacity. The timing also aligns with back to school, as students are slated to head back in New York by mid-September.
Workers at facilities like nursing homes, adult care and congregate living settings will also need to be vaccinated.
“We did feel, we still feel, like it was the right thing to do — trying to fight and protect our residents that live here and of course our employees that work here,” said Michele Schirano, a Registered Nurse and Administrator at the Jewish Home. He spoke with RochesterFirst.com about their policy, which pre-dated Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement on Monday.
Advocates with the Elder Justice Committee of Metro Justice applauded the decision, but said they wished it took effect sooner.
“It’s not just to protect the residents, it’s to protect the staff. A number of staff died from COVID-19 as well, and they want to be protected,” MaryDel Wypych, the Co-Chair of Elder Justice Committee of Metro Justice told RochesterFirst.
However, not everyone is in favor of vaccination. Some have expressed concerns about staffing when the new law takes hold.
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