In response to more and more private employers and government officials issuing vaccine mandates for their employees, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) issued the following statement asking for a vaccine mandate for employees of state-owned and operated congregate living facilities:
“I applaud CareOne – New Jersey’s largest private owner of nursing homes and assisted living facilities – as well as other organizations such as Hackensack Meridian Health and RWJ Barnabas, for announcing that all staff will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine. These employers are setting an important example in the fight against COVID-19 by choosing to protect the vulnerable people who depend upon their services. This is unequivocally the right decision to make.
“The delta variant of this virus – running rampant throughout our state and country right now – poses a major threat to residents in our long-term care facilities and other congregate living settings. The people in our veterans’ homes, psychiatric hospitals and developmental centers are among the most susceptible to this dangerous virus. That is why I am urging Governor Murphy to consider issuing a vaccine mandate for the staff of each of these state-owned facilities.
“It is critical we do everything in our power to protect the people in our care. Increasing the vaccination rate in state-run facilities while private employers are taking steps to increase the rate in their facilities will help save the lives of vulnerable residents who need and deserve our protection.”