Vaccinations for those 12 and older have increased substantially in Maine in recent weeks, Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC, said in a tweet. A group of health care workers sued when the Covid-19 vaccine was required, saying they objected because the vaccine was developed with the aid of "fetal cell lines that originated in elective abortions." You will receive an email to complete the registration. The Republican caucus of the Maine Senate also took issue with the statewide mandate, albeit in less fiery rhetoric than some Republican lawmakers have previously used about Mills handling of the pandemic. Already registered? No new state of emergency was required to issue the mandate. Organizations that fall under the requirement must ensure each employee is vaccinated. Under the First Amendment Free Exercise clause, the court subjected the mandate to rational basis review after determining that it was facially neutral and generally applicable. Wisconsin Supreme Court Holds the Integrated Systems Rule No Longer July Brings Enforcement And Delay Of New Privacy Laws, FCA Publishes Guidance on the UKs Trading Venue Perimeter. Patient safety is our number one priority and this initiative is the very best way to provide that protection. That makes the most sense at this time. Vaccinations are the most effective tool to prevent staffing shortages caused by unvaccinated workers. Weve had a long-standing staffing crisis thats been around since long before COVID hit, Westhoff said. CS (VO 2: MILLSAI MNE HEAKTH VACCINE CLINIC) NO NEW STATE OF EMERGENCY. This existing rule has been amended to include the COVID-19 vaccine. This will save lives, keep caregivers healthy, and keep our hospitals safe as we care for all of our patients, those with COVID-19 and those without, said Steven Michaud, president of the Maine Hospital Association. Healthcare workers win revival of challenge to Maine COVID The rule forced them to decide "what is more important to them -- their deeply held religious beliefs or their ability to work anywhere in their state so that they can feed their families.". Mills Delays Vaccine Mandate For Health Care Workers By A Month The extra time allows those health care workers who prefer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which received its full approval on August 23, three weeks to get the first shot and still be fully vaccinated by October 29.. Member Benefits: Maine PBS Passport, MemberCard & More. MaineHealth, the parent company of Maine Medical Center in Portland and seven other hospitals in the state, is expected to lose about 350 to 400 workers, representing about 1.5 to 2 percent of the health systems 23,000-employee workforce. In declining to apply strict scrutiny, the court wrote, Few interests are more compelling than protecting public health against a deadly virus.. The seven-day average for new daily cases was 161.4 as of Thursday, compared to 27.6 a month ago. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court declined Friday to block Maine's requirement for health care workers to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, even though it doesn't contain a religious exemption. Learn more. Heres why. The states largest health care providers, MaineHealth and Northern Light Health, have previously announced vaccine mandates for their employees. Title VII, FLSA Amendments Expand Protections for Pregnant and Mississippis New Software Direct Pay Permit Now Available Online, Podcast Episode 101: Claude Treece, Partner. Oops! Mills' vaccine mandate for health care workers sparks protest Mills Administration Provides More Time for Health Care Workers to Meet COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement, Maine Department of Health and Human Services is distributing $146 million to long-term care facilities and hospitals to help with workforce recruitment and retention. Janet Mills announced Thursday afternoon in a press conference that the state will require health care workers to be fully vaccinated Despite several efforts to encourage and incentivize vaccination, the state was unable to reach its 90% goal. Among counties, Penobscot County had the highest one-day case increase at 64, followed by 39 in Cumberland County and 21 in York County. In a free nation in which people are guaranteed the right to make decisions for themselves, Governor Mills has announced that she is mandating that private citizens in private health care facilities across the state must become fully vaccinated, Senate Republicans said in a statement. Mr. Boyarsky often litigates matters in federal and state court, especially in New Jersey and New York. Total cases: 72,118 Only medical exemptions will be allowed.Mills said that even though 80% of Maine adults are fully vaccinated, more can be done. The court put litigants in other states on notice by distinguishing why the Maine plaintiffs challenge failed whereas challenges elsewhere succeeded. The mandate will apply to any individual employed by a hospital, multi-level health care facility, home health agency, nursing facility, residential care facility, and intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities that is licensed by the State of Maine. A spokeswoman for the governor said earlier this week that Mills was strongly considering the mandate.Maine has seen a steady increase in COVID-19 cases over the past month.The seven-day average for new daily cases was 161.4 as of Thursday, compared to 27.6 a month ago.The more contagious delta variant accounted for 86% of positive COVID-19 samples that were sequenced in July.The states largest health care providers, MaineHealth and Northern Light Health, have previously announced vaccine mandates for their employees.MaineHealth has given employees until Oct. 1 to be vaccinated against the virus.Northern Light is giving employees two weeks to get vaccinated from when FDA gives the vaccines full approval.MaineHealth and Northern Light said they will allow religious and medical exemptions. The Maine CDC says the FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine should satisfy anyone's concerns about safety of the vaccine. Janet Mills that health care workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 takes full effect, hundreds of workers at hospitals and other As of Thursday, the seven day average for new daily COVID cases is 163, the highest it's been since May. Earthjustice Files Notice of Intent to Sue EPA for Missing TSCA Risk Evaluation FinTech University: FinTech and Artificial Intelligence, Effective Marketing Strategies for Small and Mid-Sized Law Firms, Workforce (re)strictions: Analyzing the Potential Ban on Noncompetes in New York. The Mills Administration announced yesterday that it is distributing $146 million in State and Federal funding to Maine nursing facilities, certain residential care facilities, adult family care homes, and hospitals to support workforce recruitment and retention efforts as they grapple with workforce shortages resulting primarily from exposure to the COVID-19 virus and longstanding labor shortages. But this latest spike in cases is causing concern because roughly 39 percent of the states population of 1.3 million remains unvaccinated. Just go to your local coffee shop, and you will see signs in the window saying Closed, we need more workers.'. Maine's order applies to health workers in hospitals, nursing homes and doctor's offices. The state CDC is also investigating outbreaks at two long-term care facilities in Augusta and Gorham. Sign up for daily emails with local updates and other important news. The health care immunization law has removed the allowance for philosophical and religious exemptions and has included influenza and COVID-19 vaccine as required Under the long-standing rule, health care workers are defined as including any individual employed by a hospital, multi-level health care facility, home health agency, nursing facility, residential care facility, and intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities that is licensed by the State of Maine. Create one. The State will continue to advance an emergency rule requiring vaccination of health care workers by October 1, 2021. In May 2019, the Maine legislature enacted a statute that disallowed religious or philosophical exemptions from all vaccine mandates. Formore than 25 years, he has represented management in workplacelaw. 1 State House Station Hospitals had a compliance rate of 95% or higher as the mandate took effect Friday. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. His practice covers a range of industries in the drafting and enforcement of non-compete, confidentiality, and other employment-related agreements throughout the United States. While Maine Medical Center reports 87 percent of its staff are fully vaccinated, the figure is 66 percent at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. As the mandate by Gov. Health care workers in Maine To add those exemptions (for COVID-19) would be a change and not a change that we wanted to make, given how important keeping our health care workforce safe is as well as keeping hospitals safe for patients, said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC. And also the fact that we're seeing outbreaks within health care facilities, our own hospitals, the timing couldn't be more important," says Steven Michaud, president of the Maine Hospital Association. State officials said most of those covered by the order have complied. Meanwhile, cases and hospitalizations are rising in Maine. Health care workers will have until Oct. 1 to be fully Early in the pandemic, the Department of Health and Human Services provided immediate support of $10 million to hospitals through supplemental payments and $20 million to nursing facilities, long-term care facilities and other congregate care facilities through temporary rate increases. Emphasizing Efficiency, Supreme Court Requires District Courts To Massachusetts DPU Approves Zoning Bylaw Exemptions for Two Energy CFPB, FDIC, NCUA, OCC, and FRB Issue Proposed Guidance on ESG, Homeoffice und Immobilien BaFin verffentlicht 7. "When you look at the surge of the Delta variant, which we're going through right now. On August 12, 2021, the state issued a vaccine mandate for all workers in licensed health care facilities. The emergency rule also requires those employed by emergency medical service organizations or dental practices to be vaccinated for COVID-19. New York, for instance, is only requiring employees at state-run health care facilities to be vaccinated. Janet Mills is conducting a review that could lead to the state following the federal government and other Democratic NLR does not answer legal questions nor will we refer you to an attorney or other professional if you request such information from us.. All for adhering to their constitutionally protected religious beliefs. NURSING & ASSISTED LIVING HOMES. Only Kennebec and Sagadahoc counties have moderate transmission. Maine has seen a steady increase in COVID-19 cases over the past month. Supreme Court declines to block Maine health care employee COVID vaccine But the state eliminated all non-medical vaccination exemptions in 2019. Supreme Court Wont Block Maines Vaccine Mandate for Health Maine considers ending COVID vaccine mandate for health workers When 19 of 33 outbreaks of COVID in the state are tied to infected healthcare workers who are not vaccinated, Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah says the risk is obvious. If the various members of Maines health care community believe that vaccinations are essential, they have every right to mandate them for their own employees without government becoming involved in the decisions of private organizations.. The Maine State Nurses Association and the National Nurses Organizing Committee said in a statement to NEWS CENTER Maine ahead of the announcement that they agree vaccination is "a critically important part of a comprehensive public health program for infection control. A The administration is using emergency rulemaking to expand the list of vaccinations already required for health care workers a list that already includes inoculations against measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, Hepatitis B and influenza, or the common flu. We welcome the additional time and flexibility as employee vaccination efforts continue. "With this requirement, we're protecting health care workers. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court declined Friday to block Maine's requirement for health care workers to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, even though it doesn't Total deaths: 903 Pharmacies and federal programs in Maine may receive additional doses. The states two largest hospital networks, MaineHealth and Northern Light Health, as well as Millinocket Regional Hospital, had already announced plans to require that all staff receive the COVID-19 vaccine. November 04, 2021 - CMS has issued the interim final rule with comment period requiring all healthcare workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Auburn police seek driver in alleged hit-and-run that injured woman, 'Portland Free Pantry' mobilizing community support for all, Biden approves major disaster declaration request for eight Maine counties, required COVID-19 vaccines for all health care employees, Maine Medical Center reported an outbreak, multiple-measures approach to infection control, 'Highest risk time' of pandemic for those unvaccinated against COVID-19 amid Delta variant surge, doctors say, Certain masks provide better protection against COVID-19, Delta variant, doctors say, VERIFY: Yes, your employer can fire you if they require the COVID-19 vaccine and you refuse to get it. "Most healthcare facility outbreaks in Maine are the result of healthcare workers bringing Covid-19 into the facility," the state told the Supreme Court. You will receive an email to complete the registration. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Maine Dr. Shah says one of the biggest challenges is getting adequate testing in the community to identify outbreaks quickly. Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah says the new rule is needed to protect workers, patients, and, "To keep the health care system as a whole intact as we experience more hospitalizations.". Janet Mills on Thursday announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the states health care workers. Dozens of people testified against the Maine CDCs addition of the flu vaccine last year, arguing such mandates violate workers personal and constitutional rights to control their own bodies. In the meantime, the staffing crisis has led us to temporarily suspend inpatient pediatric admissions and our Special Care Nursery. Mills was asked during a press briefing whether she was considering vaccine requirements for school staff, she said her current focus is on health care, and other professions are for another day. Given the elevated risk posed by the Delta variant, this is a prudent step in preventing COVID-19 from putting more Maine people at risk, especially those who care for others.. Michaud says a mandate for all health care workers is important because it discourages people from taking jobs with other employers that have different rules. About 25 percent of those are boosters, while 75 percent are primary series.. "That's pretty good progress. Somewhat More Clarity on The Reach of The New Foreign Subsidies Option Grant Practices: A Trap for the Unwary Spring-Loading and Unpatched Fortinet Vulnerability Being Exploited by Threat Actors, U.S. Executive Branch Update July 7, 2023, FDA Publishes Updated List of Priority Guidance Topics, BNSF Awarded New Trial for BIPA $228M Award. Chris Bouchard of the Kennebec Journal contributed to this report. Oct. 29, 2021. Purpose: This rule is issued pursuant to the statutory authority of the Department of Health and Human Services to establish procedures for the control and We're protecting their patients, including our most vulnerable people, and we're protecting our health care capacity," Mills said. The Maine CDC says the testing and retesting of healthcare workers could be reduced if more of them would get vaccinated. Harrington reacted to Gov. The National AI Commission Act AI: The Washington Report, UK ICO Encourages Use of Privacy Enhancing Technologies, A Welcome Delay in CCPA Regulations Enforcement, Employment Tip of the Month July 2023. The state will enforce it as a condition of the facilities licensure. NURSINANG D ASSISTED LIVING HOME WORKERS LAG -- AROUND 70 PERCENT. But he acknowledges that some health care workers who oppose the vaccine may choose to quit. But we can and must do better," Mills says. The $146 million in supplemental payments to Maines long-term care facilities and hospitals build on Maines significant financial and operational support for health care providers on the front lines of the pandemic. These measures are equally as important for other settings that employ essential workers, including retail, grocery, food industry, and more.". 207-287-3531. Northern Light is giving employees two weeks to get vaccinated from when FDA gives the vaccines full approval. Only medical exemptions will be allowed. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Friday refused to block Maines requirement that health care workers be vaccinated against the