Rhode Island and Pennsylvania are requiring employees in state healthcare facilities to get vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing.
In Pennsylvania, about 25,000 employees in state healthcare facilities and high-risk congregate care facilities will be required to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 7, Gov. Tom Wolf's office said Aug. 10. Unvaccinated employees must get tested weekly.
Mr. Wolf's office said his state is also requiring that all new external hires in these facilities get vaccinated before beginning employment, starting Sept. 7.
Vaccinated workers will qualify for an additional 7.5 or 8 hours of paid time off this fall.
In Rhode Island, healthcare workers at facilities licensed by the state, including private facilities and state-run hospitals, must get fully vaccinated by Oct. 1, The Boston Globe reported, citing an announcement from Gov. Dan McKee. Unvaccinated employees must get tested twice a week and continue to mask up.
Mr. McKee said workers will be allowed medical exemptions from the vaccination requirement, according to the Globe.
Read the Globe's full report here.