New York joined a growing list of states Thursday mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for licensed home healthcare and home care agencies. And the decision has left operators in the Empire State less than enthused.
The New York State Health Department’s Public Health and Health Planning Council unanimously passed an emergency regulation that will require workers at those agencies to have their first shots by Oct. 7. Al Cardillo, president and CEO of the Home Care Association of New York State, criticized the state for not getting input from his organization about the mandate and the short vaccination deadline.
“This proposal was done with minimal time to respond with minimal discussion with the field,” Cardillo told McKnight’s Home Care Daily. “One would think if you are the health department and you are going to move in a direction like this, you should be reaching out and telling us ‘this is what the governor is going to propose.’”
The decision follows an earlier mandate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced nearly two weeks ago requiring vaccinations for staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities including nursing homes and other congregate settings. Some home care firms feared Cuomo’s mandate would prompt unvaccinated workers at those facilities to apply for jobs at their agencies.
New York is the latest state to require COVID-19 vaccinations for home care workers. Other states that have adopted similar mandates include California, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon and the District of Columbia.
The ruling comes as home care and home health agencies are struggling to recruit workers. Cardillo fears his roughly 300 members could lose employees to other industries that don’t require vaccinations.
“That presents an obstacle for them if they truly believe that that is something they are concerned about,” Cardillo said.
Cardillo estimates anywhere from 25% to 50% of New York’s home care and home healthcare workers remain unvaccinated. Under the state emergency regulation, agencies must develop a plan for implementing the mandate that could include termination if an employee doesn’t get vaccinated.
