By Alessandra Kelly
Under current regulations, many social services, health care workers, and other workers are required to be fully vaccinated. As first responders and workers in constant contact with other individuals, the workers participate in a high-risk occupation. Such mandates have prompted mass resignation, as people who do not trust the vaccine are quitting their jobs. Listed below include all facilities in which the COVID-19 vaccine is mandated for workers:
- Social services agency
- Family & children services
- General acute care hospitals
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Intermediate care facilities
- Acute psychiatric hospitals
- Adult day health care centers
- Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and PACE centers
- Ambulatory surgery centers
- Chemical dependency recovery hospitals
- Clinics and doctor offices (including behavioral health, surgical)
- Congregate living health facilities
- Dialysis centers
- Hospice facilities
- Pediatric day health and respite care facilities
- Residential substance use treatment
- Mental health treatment facilities
All of these workers come into contact with many people, so issuing a vaccine places themselves and the individuals which the workers come into contact in a safer environment. Additionally, many jobs issued workers to receive their booster by January 14 on top of the mandated vaccine. For example, in child protective services, workers unwilling to vaccinate continue to remain on unpaid leave until the county makes a final decision.
In light of recent events, a new proposed bill would supersede Governor Newsom’s recent student COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The new bill would require all kids in kindergarten through 12th grade to get the vaccine by January 1, 2023. Ultimately, the world will continue to adapt to the issues COVID-19 brings forth, and discourse over vaccine mandates continue.