PANDEMIC. New York and California have some of the highest fully vaccinated populations in the country. | Photo: Efe.
New York and California have seen COVID-19 vaccination rates rise among their healthcare workers this week after mandates that require them to be immunized went into effect. The data is a relief to officials, concerned that the orders could lead to strikes or staff shortages.
The context: The New York mandate has not been without protest: Doctors, nurses and other providers have filed lawsuits. They argued that the state did not allow enough exemptions or expressed fears about side effects. However, the increase in immunization rates indicates that the requirement is applied without creating a staff shortage.
- New York was the state with the earliest vaccination deadline for healthcare workers. The experience is closely watched by other states that have applied similar mandates.
- California, for its part, has reported higher vaccination rates among its healthcare professionals after it mandated that that group be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.
The data: In New York, as of Wednesday, 87% of hospital staff were fully vaccinated, up from 84% the previous week. Between 89% and 92% of staff working in hospitals, nursing homes, and adult care facilities had received at least one dose of a vaccine.
- Some California facilities have reported vaccination rates of more than 90% among their workforce, according to Calmatters, a local nonprofit organization.
- New York and California have some of the highest fully vaccinated populations in the country, about 64% and 59% respectively, according to a tracker from The Washington Post as of this Friday.
Main source of the news: The Washington Post.
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