ALBANY, N.Y.   A booster shot requirement deadline was set to take effect for New York’s healthcare labor force on Monday, February 21. But the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said they will not enforce that requirement:

In order to avoid potential staffing issues and give healthcare workers more time to get boosted, the State will no longer enforce the booster requirement that will go into effect on February 21. The State will reassess in three months whether additional steps need to be taken to increase booster rates among the healthcare workforce. The original vaccination requirement for healthcare workers remains in effect

State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said, “While we are making progress with 75% of staff received or are willing to receive their booster, the reality is that not enough healthcare workers will be boosted by next week’s requirement in order to avoid substantial staffing issues in our already overstressed healthcare system.”

The announcement from DOH was couched among figures detailing the state’s booster progress among health care staff thus far. They say that 75% of healthcare workers—including 88% of hospitals’ direct care staff—have or are willing to get a booster shot. DOH also announced they would take more steps to expand access to boosters for healthcare workers.