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Hochul releases what her team calls 'encouraging data' showing impact of health care staff vaccine mandate

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Tue, Sep 28th 2021 08:25 pm

Vaccine rates increased considerably over last four weeks – 92% of nursing home staff compliant as of Monday evening, up from 71%

89% of adult care facilities staff compliant, up from 77%

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced health care staff vaccination rates continue to rise throughout New York, according to the latest data reported by health care facilities to the Department of Health. This new information comes as the vaccination mandate for health care staff in hospitals and nursing homes is now in effect.

"This new information shows that holding firm on the vaccine mandate for health care workers is simply the right thing to do to protect our vulnerable family members and loved ones from COVID-19," Hochul said. "I am pleased to see that health care workers are getting vaccinated to keep New Yorkers safe, and I am continuing to monitor developments and ready to take action to alleviate potential staffing shortage situations in our health care systems."

Hochul’s team said, “Considerable progress has been made since Gov. Hochul was sworn-in on Aug. 24, and the vaccination rates among health care workers have continued to increase even in the last week leading up to the deadline.”

The percentage of nursing home staff receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose increased to 92% as of Monday evening, up from 71% on Aug. 24 and 82% on Sept. 20.

The percentage of adult care facilities staff receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose increased to 89% as of Monday evening, up from 77% on Aug. 24 and 85% on Sept. 20.

The percentage of hospital staff receiving at least one dose is 92% as of Monday evening based on preliminary self-reported data. The percentage of fully vaccinated is 85% as of Monday evening, up from 84% on Sept. 22 and 77% on Aug. 24.

The Department of Health conducted a one-time health electronic response data system (HERDS) survey of hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities on Sept. 27 to determine the vaccination status of workers in health care settings. This is being used to supplement the survey data informing the COVID-19 vaccine tracker long term care vaccinations webpage, which is updated daily with information self-reported by skilled nursing facilities and adult care facilities and the vaccine tracker hospital worker vaccination webpage, which is updated weekly with information self-reported by individual hospitals.

By the Numbers

•Hospitals – There are 519,109 total staff in hospitals statewide, and 347,217 direct care/patient facing staff.

√ 92.3% of all staff and 93.3% of direct care staff have received at least one dose

√ 85.2% of staff have a complete vaccine series, and an additional 7% have received one dose

These rates are comparable amongst direct care staff – 86.3% have a complete vaccine series with an additional 7% having received their first dose.

√ 4.9% of staff are medically eligible to receive a vaccine, but are declining to do so This rate is slightly lower amongst direct care staff at 4.7%

√ 2.4% of staff are going to get vaccinated but are still awaiting their first dose, and 0.5% of staff are medically ineligible

These rates are similar amongst direct care workers, with 1.6% awaiting their first dose and 0.4% being medically ineligible.

•Nursing homes – There are 143,753 total staff in hospitals statewide, and 92,260 direct care/patient facing staff.

√ 92.6% of all staff and 92.3% of direct care staff have received at least one dose

√ 81.1% of staff have a complete vaccine series, and an additional 11.5% have received one dose

These rates are slightly lower amongst direct care staff – 79.1% have a complete vaccine series with an additional 13.2% having received their first dose.

√ 5.7% of staff are medically eligible to receive a vaccine, but are declining to do so

This rate is slightly higher amongst direct care staff at 6%.

√ 1.3% of staff are going to get vaccinated but are still awaiting their first dose, and 0.4% of staff are medically ineligible

These rates are very similar amongst direct care workers, with 1.3% awaiting their first dose and 0.5% being medically ineligible.

•Adult care facilities – There are 29,464 total staff in hospitals statewide, and 15,395 direct care/patient facing staff.

√ 89.3% of all staff and 88.7% of direct care staff have received at least one dose

√ 82.9% of staff have a complete vaccine series, and an additional 6.4% have received one dose

These rates are comparable amongst direct care staff – 81% have a complete vaccine series with an additional 7.7% having received their first dose.

√ 6.6% of staff are medically eligible to receive a vaccine, but are declining to do so

This rate is slightly higher amongst direct care staff at 7%.

√ 3.5% of staff are going to get vaccinated but are still awaiting their first dose, and 0.6% of staff are medically ineligible

These rates are nearly identical amongst direct care workers, with 3.7% awaiting their first dose and 0.6% being medically ineligible.

On Monday night, Hochul signed an executive order to expand the eligible workforce and allow additional health care workers to administer COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. In addition, Hochul directed a 24/7 operations center, led by the New York State Department of Health, to constantly monitor staffing operations and trends statewide, provide guidance to health care facilities and help troubleshoot acute situations with providers as necessary. The governor continues to engage in ongoing outreach with local elected officials, hospitals, labor leaders and other health care organizations to check-in on staffing status and offer state assistance.

According to the regulation issued by the State Department of Health, all health care workers in New York, at hospitals and nursing homes, are to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the first dose received by Monday, Sept. 27. Staff at other covered entities including home care, hospice and adult care facilities are to be vaccinated by Oct. 7. The regulation also applies to all out-of-state and contract medical staff who practice in New York.

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