NYC healthcare workers who refuse COVID-vax may be dismissed

Posts learned that healthcare workers who refused to receive the coronavirus vaccine could be dismissed under an emergency decree expected to be approved by the New York State Department of Health on Thursday.

“The target entity may dismiss personnel who are not fully vaccinated, do not have a valid medical tax exemption, and cannot guarantee that an individual is not engaged.
“Patient / Resident Care, or Exposure to Other Subjects,” states the proposed rule.

All 450,000 health care workers in Empire State hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities should begin vaccination by September 27 to limit the spread of the highly contagious Delta strain. ..

policy Announced By that time-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Department of Health last week.

At the time, DOH officials said they were still finalizing the rules when asked if their employers could discipline health care workers, including dismissals.

The revised edict is Approved by DOH’s plan The council under the new Governor Kathy Hokul has explicitly empowered directors of medical facilities to dismiss those who have vaccinated.

It will probably cause protests, as vaccination obligations have already caused repulsion, Including protest Outside Staten Island University / Northwell Health.

Big Apple’s Largest Police Union — Police Charity Association ――I have Threatened to sue the city If you need a police officer to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

However, health advocates say it is unacceptable for health care workers not to receive jabs, especially given the fact that they work in institutions with vulnerable and weakened patients and residents.

This regulation covers all workers, contract staff, and volunteers in facilities that “may expose other eligible personnel, patients, or residents to illness.”

All medical and healthcare facilities, including home care institutions, must regularly report to the state a list of all vaccinated, unvaccinated, or eligible for medical exemptions. there is.

As a post Report in the last few weeks, High percentage of healthcare workers Remain Not vaccinated at hospitals and nursing homes.

Almost a quarter (23 percent) of hospital workers across the state have not yet been vaccinated, according to DOH data posted Wednesday.

In New York City, 25 percent of hospital workers are unvaccinated. In Staten Island, Brooklyn and Bronx, nearly one-third of hospital workers are unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, 29% of nursing home workers across the state do not get COVID-19 shots.

In New York City, 28% of nursing home workers are unvaccinated. The worst percentage is Brooklyn, where 37% of staff refuse vaccinations.

More than 55,000 New York dead Link to COVID-19Includes 16,000 nursing home residents.

The state has also seen an increase in new infections associated with Delta strains. Since early July, cases have increased 10-fold, with 95% identified as more contagious mutants.

State data show that unvaccinated people are five times more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19 than those who have shots.

Unvaccinated people are at least 11 times more likely to be hospitalized or die of COVID-19. Released last week Discovered by NYSDOH and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They offer the benefits of helping.
Reduce the number of COVID-19 infections containing critical delta variants
“Factors for protecting public health,” said the DOH Directive.

“Patients and residents are vulnerable in certain environments, such as medical facilities and collective medical facilities, which raises the challenge and urgency to control the spread of the disease.

“Employees who are not vaccinated in such situations are at an unacceptably high risk of transmitting the virus to colleagues, vulnerable patients and residents who obtain COVID-19, exacerbate staff shortages and complications. The risk is unacceptably high, “said DOH officials. Orde.

Currently, state health facilities are required to provide vaccines to workers, and some have already begun to impose mandatory COVID vaccination policies.

President Biden announced last week that the US Department of Health and Human Services will impose new regulations requiring nursing homes to require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of participation in the Federal Medicare and Medicaid programs.

“The department has determined that these emergency regulations are necessary to control the spread of COVID-19 in the identified regulated facilities or entities … the current situation and no vaccine in these situations. The risk of vaccination staff spreading to vulnerable residents and patient populations requires immediate attention, “DOH said.