The order extends provisions implemented to expand California’s health care workforce during the pandemic, including allowing health care workers from out of state to provide services in California and enabling certain medical personnel and emergency medical technicians to continue supporting the state’s COVID-19 response.
The order also gives health care facilities the flexibility to plan and adapt their space to accommodate patients.
The order also provides more flexibility for retired teachers and school staff to return to fill short-term staffing shortages. Retired staff can assist schools impacted by the rising case rates caused by the Delta variant to stay safely and fully open.
A copy of the governor’s executive order is published below.
In addition, the California Department of Public Health on Monday issued a new public health order requiring hospitals statewide to accept transfer patients from facilities with limited ICU capacity, when clinically appropriate.
That is an important development for communities like Lake County, which transports a large number of patients to out-of-county facilities for high-level care.
State officials emphasized that vaccination against COVID-19 is the most effective means of preventing infection, transmission and outbreaks.
California has put more shots in arms than any other state — administering over 46 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine with over 78% of those eligible having received at least one dose — and implemented a first-in-the-nation requirement that workers in health care settings be fully vaccinated, as well as stricter requirements for visitors at health care facilities.
The governor has also required all school staff at both public and private schools and all state workers to either show proof of full vaccination or be tested at least once per week.
The state is encouraging local governments and other employers to adopt a similar protocol and continues its multipronged strategy to reach communities with low vaccination rates.
081621 Newsom public health orders for hospitals by LakeCoNews on Scribd