State officials said New York will not enforce its mandate requiring health care workers to get COVID-19 boosters in light of concerns about staffing shortages.
ABC News reports Governor Kathy Hochul pointed to a troubling rise in breakthrough infections when she announced the mandate in January. The deadline to get the boosters was this Monday, February 21.
But state health commissioner Mary Bassett said Friday that the decision to drop enforcement of the mandate reflects the reality that booster rates remain far below 100% in nursing homes and hospitals.
She said 75% of staff had received or were willing to receive the booster but that not enough healthcare workers would have been boosted before Monday in order to avoid substantial staffing issues.
Nursing homes and hospitals in New York have vaccinated nearly all employees, but health experts worry that booster rates are too low to protect against future surges as a vaccination’s efficacy wanes over time.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 vaccine booster shots provide 90% protection against hospitalization.
Officials say in three months, the state will reassess whether additional steps will be needed to increase booster uptake among healthcare workers.
While the new mandate will not be enforced, the original vaccination requirement for healthcare workers remains in effect.
According to the state, they will work closely with hospitals to increase the booster rate among workers.
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