Matt Brown Criticizes McKee for Refusal to Enforce Vaccine Requirements for Healthcare Workers
Saturday, October 30, 2021
Democratic candidate for Rhode Island governor Matt Brown is criticizing Governor Dan McKee for failing to enforce the state’s regulations that require all healthcare workers to be vaccinated.
The regulations were to be in full effect on October 1, but the McKee Administration extended the deadline for 30 days.
"Incredibly, Gov. McKee just decided not to enforce his own vaccine requirement for healthcare workers which will certainly put vulnerable patients in danger of contracting COVID. Rhode Islanders have been battered by this pandemic for 18 months – they’ve lost jobs, small businesses, housing and loved ones,” said Brown.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“We need a vaccine mandate, not just for healthcare workers, but for everyone to enter public spaces like restaurants, bars, malls, and concert venues so we can get this pandemic under control,” Brown added.
On September 22, McKee’s administration announced it was backing off its hard deadline of requiring all healthcare and related licensed workers to be vaccinated by October 1.
McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) said instead they now have “an enforcement strategy for Rhode Island’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement for healthcare workers. The enforcement strategy will help safeguard patients, residents, and staff by holding health professionals and facilities accountable to the October 1 vaccination requirement, while also preventing disruptions to care in Rhode Island as healthcare facilities work toward full compliance.”
McKee’s office did not respond to request for comment.
McKee and Brown will square off in September of 2022 for the Democratic nomination for governor. The other major candidates running in the primary are corporate executive Helena Foulkes, and current statewide officials Seth Magaziner and Nellie Gorbea.
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