All New Jersey well being care employees will now should be absolutely vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 and obtain their booster pictures — or threat being fired, Gov. Phil Murphy revealed Wednesday.
Murphy stated the present rule that enables unvaccinated employees to bear weekly COVID testing might be dropped.
“We are no longer going to look past those who continue to put their colleagues and perhaps, I think even more importantly, those who are their responsibility, in danger of COVID. That has to stop,” the Democratic governor stated at a press convention.
“Testing out will no longer be an option.”
It is a reversal of the manager order Murphy signed in September final 12 months that gave employees in these settings the choice to bear weekly testing as a substitute of being vaccinated.
Under the new order, well being care employees have till Jan. 27 to get their first dose and should be absolutely vaccinated by Feb. 28, Murphy stated.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy introduced the mandate on January 19, 2022.New Jersey Office of the Governor by way of APAbout 80 % of staff in long-term care houses have already been vaccinated, however solely 44 % have obtained their booster shot, in keeping with the newest knowledge.REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
The new vaccine order additionally applies to those that work in “high-risk congregate settings,” together with long-term care houses and correctional amenities.
Those who work in such locations, together with nursing houses and prisons, have been given a Feb. 16 deadline to obtain their first shot and full their vaccination collection by March 30.
The well being care employees who’ve already been absolutely vaccinated can have till Feb. 28 to obtain a booster shot, whereas absolutely vaccinated congregate-setting staff have till March 30 to be boosted.
Under the new mandate, well being care employees have till February 28 to get absolutely vaccinated. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidGov. Murphy additionally stated the choice to check for COVID-19 weekly might be dropped. MANDEL NGAN/AFP by way of Getty Images
Exemptions to the new order can solely be made for these with medical situations or “deeply held” non secular beliefs, Murphy stated.
It wasn’t instantly clear what number of employees the new order would have an effect on.
About 80 % of staff in long-term care houses have already been vaccinated, however solely 44 % have obtained their booster shot, the newest state knowledge confirmed.
According to the governor, exemptions to the new order can solely be made for these with medical situations or “deeply held” non secular beliefs.AP
COVID infections within the Garden State look like on the decline following the winter surge fueled by the Omicron variant.
The state recorded 8,467 new instances Wednesday — down from the report 33,459 infections on Jan. 7.
