#Hochul scraps booster mandate for health care workers

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday scrapped a controversial state mandate that would have required all healthcare workers to get a coronavirus booster shot by Monday in order to avoid worsening staffing shortages.

The state health council approved the emergency edict last month when the COVID-19 omicron wage was still raging, despite complaints from nursing home industry officials that the mandate would worsen an already severe staffing shortage at many facilities by triggering firings.

Hochul and state Department of Health officials on Friday appeared to heed those warnings by rescinding the booster rule after meeting with health care industry officials.

The data as of February 15 shows that only 51 percent of direct care nursing home workers have gotten or pledged to get a booster shot.

Meanwhile, 68 percent of home care workers received or were willing to receive boosters.

The overall booster rate for all healthcare workers was 75 percent. Hospitals staffers had the highest rate overall, at 88 percent.

State health officials said they will continue to encourage all healthcare workers to get their booster shots and expand access to them.

DOH will reassess in three months whether additional steps are necessary to increase booster rates among the healthcare workforce.

“The vaccine and booster are critical tools to keep both healthcare workers and their patients safe, and we continue to urge everyone to get vaccinated and receive a booster dose when eligible,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett.

“While we are making progress with 75% of staff receiving or are willing to receive their booster, the reality is that not enough healthcare workers will be boosted by next week’s requirement in order to avoid substantial staffing issues in our already overstressed healthcare system,” she added. “That is why we are announcing additional efforts to work closely with healthcare facilities and ensure that our healthcare workforce is up to date on their doses.”

Nursing home advocates applauded the governor and Bassett for evaluating the situation and changing course.

“It’s a smart move. It’s realistic. They saw what the reality was on the ground,” said James Clyne, CEO of LeadingAge New York, a non-profit organization that represents many of the state’s 611 nursing facilities.

“We support staffers getting boosted but now is not the time to lay off workers,” Clyne said.

Nursing home staffers and other healthcare workers are fed up with the booster mandate after complying with an order to getting the first batch of COVID shots, industry officials said.

“The staff is saying, ‘enough,’” said Michael Balboni, executive director of the Greater New York Health Care Facilities Association, which represents nursing homes in the NYC-metro region.

“There is a healthcare staffing crisis. You can’t find people to hire right now. You’re going to start putting patients at risk if you’re forced to fire people who are not complying with a mandate.”

Balboni praised the Hochul team for listening.

“This administration allowed us to come in and make our case. How great is that,” he said.

Hochul, however, has been criticized for refusing to lift the mask mandate for children in schools despite the low COVID-19 infection rate. She did lift the mask mandate on businesses.