New Mandates Announced, These New York Workers Now Need to Get Vaccinated
New York's first female Governor, Kathy Hochul, announced yesterday, October 5, 2021, that more healthcare workers must get vaccinated. The new announcement expands the healthcare worker vaccine mandate that is already in place. Now, people who work in facilities regulated by the Office of Mental Health and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities must get vaccinated by November 1. They will need to show proof of having received at least one vaccine shot by the deadline. Prior to the deadline, employees will now be required to get tested weekly starting October 12. After November 1, there will be no option to get tested weekly rather than get vaccinated.
Governor Hochul said that mandating the vaccine is the right thing to do,
Vaccine requirements work in getting people to do the right thing, and all professionals in health settings must take every basic precaution against COVID-19, including the vaccine, so they do not spread the virus to the people coming in for treatment. We have an obligation to extend this assurance to those who need to receive mental health services and special care, which is why we are making the vaccine mandatory for all staff who work in these facilities that fall under State jurisdiction.
Tomorrow, October 7, all healthcare workers in facilities regulated by the Department of Health must be vaccinated. This includes employees of hospice care, AIDS home care programs, long-term care, home health agencies, adult care, and diagnostic and treatment centers.
All New Yorkers Who Work for These Type of Companies Must Get Vaccinated
- President Biden has also mandated that all federal employees be vaccinated via an Executive Order also issued on September 9,
In light of the public health guidance regarding the most effective and necessary defenses against COVID-19, I have determined that to promote the health and safety of the Federal workforce and the efficiency of the civil service, it is necessary to require COVID-19 vaccination for all Federal employees, subject to such exceptions as required by law.
- New York has issued its own vaccine mandates for state employees. According to Patch, about a fifth of people employed in the state work for some type of government,
In New York, 16.4% of the workforce are employed by the government — either at the state, local, or federal level — the 24th highest share of all states.
- All school personnel in the state will be required to take the vaccine. Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement on her first day in office, outlining her plan for protecting students in NY,
- Prior to leaving office, Governor Cuomo announced on August 16, that all healthcare professionals must get vaccinated.
- Governor Cuomo announced that every New York State employee must get vaccinated. The governor made the announcement on July 28. Approximately 130,000 state employees will be required to get vaccinated. If a state employee chooses not to get vaccinated, they will be required to take a COVID-19 test each week.
- CUNY and SUNY students must be vaccinated in order to attend in-person classes.
- All active-duty and reserve military members (not directly mandate through NYS, but affects members of the military in the state). On August 25, the United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, issued a memo stating that all members of the armed services must be vaccinated.
There are five military bases in New York - Fort Drum Army Base in Jefferson, Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, Us Military Academy Army Base in West Point, Watervilet Arsenal Army Base in Watervilet and Saratoga Springs NSU Navy Base in Saratoga Springs. The National Guard has approximately 21,000 soldiers in the state.
If you live in New York State and would like to get the vaccine, you can call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX or get more information here.