A group of doctors working with patients infected with COVID-19 wear face shields at the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital de Clinicas in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on April 15, 2020. (SILVIO AVILA/AFP via Getty Images)
The California Department of Public Health has issued a public health order requiring all health care workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The order came down on Thursday and sets a deadline of Sept. 30 for health care workers to have both shots.
The order applies to those working in hospitals, nursing facilities and most health care settings, and marks the first of its kind in the nation. This comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) said last week that state and health care workers would need to prove full vaccination or be tested at least once per week.
“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,” said Tomas J. Aragon, CDPH director and state public health officer, in a statement. The order does allow for exemptions when it comes to medical and religious reasons.
Today, #CDPH has issued a new public health order requiring workers in health care settings to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 30, 2021.
For more information: https://t.co/2VyHeHEqbl pic.twitter.com/aBg0oRQQVX
— CA Public Health (@CAPublicHealth) August 5, 2021
A second public health order directs hospitals and nursing care facilities to verify visitors are vaccinated or test negative for COVID 72 hours before indoor visits.
Source: One America News Network
