Coronavirus booster to no longer be mandated for health-care workers, report says – SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Booster coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine doses will no longer be required for New York State health-care workers, according to a recent report.

The New York State Public Health and Health Planning Council voted on Thursday to no longer require health-care workers to receive a COVID-19 booster, stated a report by WETM-18 News, in Elmira, N.Y. The change in policy needs to be added to the State Registry before it becomes effective, according to the media outlet.

Gov. Kathy Hochul first mandated the booster in January, citing the effectiveness of the vaccine mandate for keeping health-care workers safe.

Many health-care associations, hospitals and workers themselves spoke out against the mandate, saying it would lead to further staffing shortages. Some associations, like the Health Care Association of New York State, asked for a 90-day extension before the booster mandate went into effect.

To help protect some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers from COVID-19, today the Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) extended the original vaccination requirement for health-care workers that has remained in effect since last year and does not renew the booster dose requirement for health-care workers, the state Health Department said, according to the report.

In light of concerns about potential staffing issues, on Feb. 18, the New York State Department of Health announced it would not enforce the mandate requiring health-care workers get a COVID-19 booster shot. As a result of the health-care worker vaccine requirement, hospital workers and long-term staff have a completed vaccine series of 98 and 99 percent, respectively, the statement continued.

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Coronavirus booster to no longer be mandated for health-care workers, report says - SILive.com