The State of California has taken an important step to safeguard the wellbeing of residents of long term care by mandating that virtually all facilities providing care in congregate settings take steps to ensure that their workers are vaccinated.

In an order issued July 26, the State mandates that hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and adult and senior care facilities verify the vaccination status of all employees, and that they require that all unvaccinated employees submit to testing twice weekly in skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities and once weekly in assisted living facilities. Vaccinated, asymptomatic employees need not be tested under the rule. The deadline for compliance is August 23.

The new rule has been issued just as the new Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus, now widespread throughout the U.S., has been identified by the CDC as both much more transmissible and potentially more virulent than previously thought. 
(posted July 30, 2021)