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During a briefing on Wednesday, July 28, Cuomo announced that state employees would be required to get the vaccine while encouraging local governments to take similar steps across New York, specifically citing areas with high COVID-19 rates.
Cuomo said that all patient-facing health care workers at state hospitals will also be required to be vaccinated.
“We want to make sure health care workers are vaccinated. Period,” Cuomo said. "It's smart. It’s fair. And it’s in everyone’s interests.”
The announcement comes on the heels of New York City enacting similar mandates, and in advance of expected remarks from President Joe Biden regarding federal employees.
“New York state is doing the same and we're working with our unions to implicate this fairly," Cuomo said. "I encourage all local governments the same. It's smart, it's fair, it's in everyone's interest."
- Earlier story - COVID-19: CDC Updates Guidance On Masks Indoors, In Schools As Delta Variant Spreads
Cuomo also addressed the CDC’s move to adjust guidance on indoor mask-wearing, including in schools, saying that “the state is going to do a full review of CDC guidance.”
“New Yorkers beat back COVID before — going from the highest positivity rate on the globe to one of the lowest — by staying smart, following the science, and having each other’s backs, and that’s exactly what we’ll keep doing in this next phase of the pandemic,” he said.
“We are reviewing the CDC’s new recommendations closely in consultation with federal and state health experts.”
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