Biden requiring nursing homes to get staff vaccinated

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that all people who work in nursing homes have to be vaccinated, or risk losing federal funding.

With the Delta variant sweeping the nation and being 2x more infectious than previous variants, President Biden announced that nursing home facilities serve people who receive Medical or Medicaid.  

“Now, if you visit, live or work at a nursing home, you should not be at a high risk of contracting Covid from unvaccinated employees. While I’m mindful that my authority at the federal government is limited, I’m going to continue to look for ways to keep people safe and increase vaccination rates,” the President said during a speech at the White House.

According to the CDPH, there have been 9,117 COVID-related deaths in skilled nursing facilities. This directive also comes as plans emerge to offer COVID-19 booster shots starting the week of September 20th.

The regulation would apply to nearly 15,000 nursing home facilities in the U.S.