PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — All health care workers in New Jersey will soon be required to be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination or they could lose their jobs, after Gov. Phil Murphy issued an executive order Wednesday.
Anyone who works in healthcare has until January 27 to get their first dose of the vaccine if they haven’t done so already and they must be fully vaccinated and up to date with the booster shot, if eligible, before March 1.
The mandate also applies to workers at long-term care facilities, but the deadline for them is an extra month, and they must be in compliance by the end of March.
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Workers will not have the option to submit negative COVID-19 test results.
“The science tells us that it’s no longer good enough to just receive your primary series as being boosted is necessary to protect yourself and those around you. Therefore, everyone who works in these settings is now also required to get their booster,” Murphy said.
The mandate requires workers to get their primary shots, meaning one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two doses of the mRNA Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and a booster. They have three weeks from when they become eligible for a booster to comply with the mandate.
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The only exemptions will be for health reasons or deeply held religious beliefs.
Murphy said anyone who does not comply with the vaccine mandate is subject to workplace disciplinary action, including getting fired.