Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Unvaxxed Health Staff Allowed, In Some Cases, To Work In Rhode Island
The Boston Globe: R.I. Will Allow Unvaccinated Health Care Workers To Work If They’re Critical To Patient Needs
Rhode Island will allow health care workers who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 to work even after Oct. 1 if there’s a risk to quality of care in their absence, the state Department of Health announced Tuesday. The state had previously given workers an Oct. 1 deadline to get vaccinated, unless they have an approved medical exemption, or they would not be allowed to work. The announcement Tuesday provided some leeway to that edict in the most dire situations, and comes after leaders of some facilities — notably nursing homes — said they worried the deadline would worsen staffing shortages. (Gagosz and Amaral, 9/21)
CNN: Novant Health Suspends Hundreds Of Employees For Not Getting A Covid-19 Vaccine
A North Carolina-based health care provider announced Tuesday it has suspended hundreds of employees for not meeting the company's Covid-19 vaccine requirements. Novant Health says employees, by now, must have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine or applied for -- and received -- a medical or religious exemption. Those that hadn't -- about 375 workers across 15 hospitals and hundreds of clinics and outpatient facilities -- are now suspended. (Lemos and Henderson, 9/21)
The Oregonian: Oregon Gives 24,000 State Employees Six More Weeks To Get Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19
More than half of Oregon’s state employees now have an extra six weeks to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with the deadline pushed back to Nov. 30. The change affects about 24,000 state employees represented by the Service Employees International Union 503 out of about 42,000 state executive branch employees. It’s unclear if the changes will apply to the remaining 18,000 state employees covered by Gov. Kate Brown’s vaccination mandate. But SEIU’s success at pushing back Brown’s initial Oct. 18 deadline for full vaccination may bode well for other unions. (Zarkhin, 9/21)
In other news about vaccine mandates —
Los Angeles Times: San Francisco Airport To Require COVID Vaccines For Workers
San Francisco International Airport is now requiring all workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the first airport in the U.S. to implement such health requirements. “As SFO prepares for the upcoming holiday travel season and the return of pre-pandemic passenger levels, we have an obligation to provide a safe airport facility for the traveling public and our on-site employees,” airport director Ivar C. Satero said. The requirement, effective Tuesday, obligates all tenants and contractors at the airport to ensure their on-site workers are vaccinated. Those who are exempt for medical reasons or because of religious beliefs must submit to weekly testing for the coronavirus. (Dolan, 9/21)
AP: Massachusetts Community Colleges To Require Vaccinations
Students, faculty and staff at all 15 Massachusetts state community colleges will be required to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by January, the schools’ presidents said. “While a significant number of students, faculty, and staff are already vaccinated or are in the process of becoming vaccinated, the 15 colleges are seeking to increase the health and safety of the learning and working environment in light of the ongoing public health concerns and current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” they said in a statement released Monday. (9/21)
Axios: Massachusetts State Police Union Sues Over COVID Vaccine Mandate
The Massachusetts State Police union has filed a lawsuit to delay Gov. Charlie Baker's (R) coronavirus vaccine mandate, which requires state employees to get the shot by Oct. 17 or face termination. The union represents 1,800 members and is asking a judge to postpone the vaccination requirement so it has time to bargain, the Boston Globe notes. Troopers would undergo "irreparable harm" otherwise, the lawsuit said. (Chen, 9/21)
WUSF Public Media: Sarasota Store Suing Florida Over Lack Of Vaccine Requirement
In some states, vaccination cards have become the golden ticket to restaurants, bars and stores. But in Florida, businesses are legally not allowed to require proof of vaccination for entry. The owners of Bead Abode, a Sarasota craft store, are suing the Florida surgeon general over the law. The store has been closed since March 2020 but wants to reopen its new location in October with safety protocols — such as a proof-of-vaccination requirement to protect customers, said Andrew Boyer, co-owner and legal counsel. (LeFever, 9/21)
Detroit Free Press: GM's Reuss Addresses Idea Of Vaccine Mandate And Flint's Future
General Motors President Mark Reuss on Tuesday addressed the idea of mandating a vaccine for GM's workforce and said he believes there is a "major risk" for another pandemic. The Detroit Three automakers have been working with the UAW, the union that represents most hourly autoworkers, on workplace safety and vaccinations. Reuss did not know the status of those conversations. But, he said, GM leadership is having difficult conversations around a vaccine mandate after President Joe Biden said earlier this month that all employers with more than 100 workers must require employees to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly. (Lareau, 9/21)
