More than 90 health care facilities asking for vaccine mandate deadline extension

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – After Rhode Island’s vaccine mandate for health care workers went into effect Friday, a number of health care facilities in the state are scrambling to meet the requirement.

Ninety-two health care facilities have requested a 30-day extension of the mandate deadline. The facilities, including Rhode Island Hospital and Miriam Hospital, say all of their workers will be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31.

Another 215 facilities reported they have fully complied with Governor Dan McKee’s requirement.

The mandate went into effect Friday despite some health care workers’ efforts to amend it. Governor McKee’s administration has made some exemptions, including allowing some health care workers to temporarily stay on the job after Oct. 1 if “their absence would jeopardize quality of care.” Those employers have 30 days to replace that position with a fully vaccinated employee.

The vaccine mandate was announced by Governor McKee in August.