With the flu season fast approaching, New York State’s new flu mask regulation will soon be in effect again. The state DOH proposed some changes to the requirement going forward.
The changes include:
- Clarification of the terms “influenza vaccine”, “vaccine”, “personnel” and “patient or resident”, among other terms.
- Revised requirements for vaccine documentation. Requirements for a name and address have been lifted in favor of documentation or an attestation by the employer verifying that a dose of the vaccine was administered.
- A revised definition of areas where patients are typically present: a mask is not needed when healthcare workers perform services outside of a healthcare facility or patient’s home.
- An exemption for speech therapists and those who read lips.
- Healthcare facilities must provide masks at no cost to employees.
- Clarification that healthcare agencies and long-term care facilities may opt for stricter standards than those adopted by the state.
You can review the DOH’s proposed regulations in full here.
As healthcare agencies and long-term care facilities began to follow the state’s regulations, some encountered problems adhering to the new flu mask rules, put into effect just last year. These proposed changes could ease the difficulties that providers have had pertaining to the legislation.
Posted July 31, 2014 in Compliance Alerts
