New State Directives Impact Healthcare Workers And Visitors

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Sacramento, CA — Two new orders from the California Public Health Department impact all healthcare workers and patient visitors.

The first requires all workers in health care settings to be fully vaccinated by September 30, 2021. It applies to hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and most other health care settings. It will impact around 2.2 million workers.

State Public Health Officer, Dr. Tomas Aragon, says, “As we continue to see an increase in cases and hospitalizations due to the Delta variant of COVID-19, it’s important that we protect the vulnerable patients in these settings.”

The state indicates there will be a process for those who request an exemption related to religious or medical reasons.

The second-order directs hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and intermediate care facilities to verify that all visitors are fully vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19 in the prior 72 hours before indoor visits.

The state reports that 76.6-percent of those eligible for the vaccine in the state have received at least the initial dose.