ALBANY (TNS) — The national COVID-19 public health emergency lapsed Thursday, marking a symbolic end to the health crisis that upended society and killed more than one million in the United States — but the shift will bring few changes to daily life in New York, where many COVID restrictions have already been phased out.
While the federal action lifts the vaccine mandate for government-funded hospitals and nursing homes, health care workers are not off the hook in New York due to state-level COVID-19 regulations still in place.
New York’s own pandemic emergency declaration officially ended Sept. 12. Health care is the last sector to see government mandates on masking, testing and vaccinations eased. The state’s mask mandate for health care workers lapsed in February, so many health care facilities have since dropped required mask use.
But local health care executives say it’s also time to ease the vaccine requirements — which do not have an expiration date, but can be amended — so they can rehire staff and ease shortages.
St. Peter’s Health Partners, which lost about 500 employees when the mandate went into effect, has heard from a number of former workers interested in returning to their jobs, Dr. Steven D. Hanks, president and CEO.
“We do know that there are a certain number of them who would come back to the workplace if the mandate was lifted,” Hanks said. “My hope is that the Department of Health and others in the state will see that it’s really not required to protect the health of the public at this particular time.”
It’s been more than a year since the state has experienced a significant COVID-19 outbreak, and new antiviral drugs have been keeping hospitals down, health care leaders say. Five St. Peter’s-affiliated hospitals collectively see less that one COVID patient per day, Hanks said.
State Department of Health spokeswoman Cadence Acquaviva said, “The department is reviewing next steps for health care workers in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities.”
During the pandemic, health emergency declarations enabled governments to enact hundreds of policies and flexibility to facilitate the pandemic response effort. Though many of these changes have been slowly dismantled, the end of the federal emergency will still alter health care access in several ways.
WHAT’S CHANGING?
Insurance coverage for COVID-19 tests is ending, but the federal government will maintain a stockpile of testing kits that will be available free of charge in certain community locations, according to US Health and Human Services. Free tests will also be available through COVIDtests.gov through the end of May.
The lapse of the federal public health emergency also has implications for long-term care facilities, which will see COVID-19 testing and visitation requirements softened, according to Leading Age NY, which represents 5,600 nonprofit long-term care facilities in the state. For example, new admissions to nursing homes will no longer face a barrage of COVID-19 tests unless they are exhibiting symptoms.
Certain COVID-19 data reporting and surveillance will change. The federal government no longer requires labs to report COVID-19 test results and hospitals will need to report COVID cases weekly instead of daily.
WHAT’S STAYING?
Access to COVID-19 vaccinations and certain treatments, such as Paxlovid and Lagevrio, for now will generally not be affected, according to US Health and Human Services. But once the federal government is no longer purchasing or distributing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, payment, coverage and access may change.
Telehealth flexibilities that people with Medicare have come to rely upon during the pandemic will remain in place through December 2024.
Health officials continue to urge all individuals 6 months of age and older in the United States to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The state has launched a new campaign to encourage New Yorkers who have underlying medical conditions to be aware of the risks of contracting COVID-19 and the importance of getting and staying up-to-date with recommended doses.