New Jersey sets deadline for child care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19
The same requirement has already been announced for educators, state employees and health care workers.
TRENTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Child care workers and facility employees in New Jersey will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or face weekly testing, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Monday.
Those workers must be fully vaccinated by November 1.
Since it takes two weeks from the time a shot is administered until someone is considered fully vaccinated, that means workers must receive the second shot by October 17, Murphy said.
Any child care workers who are not fully vaccinated by November 1 will have to undergo weekly testing.
The same requirement has already been announced for educators, state employees and health care workers.
RELATED: Pfizer says COVID vaccine safe, effective for kids ages 5 to 11
Meanwhile, effective September 24, all employees, visitors, students and children in a child care facility ages two and over must wear masks indoors, with limited exceptions.
"We appreciate that it may be difficult to keep very young kids in masks for the majority of the day, but we are looking for these settings to provide kids with as much support as necessary to ensure the safest possible environment," Murphy said.
Earlier Monday, Pfizer and BioNTech announced findings that their COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children ages 5 to 11.
They will submit a request for emergency use authorization in the United States.
The FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine, which is marketed as Comirnaty, for people ages 16 and older in August. It is currently authorized for emergency use in children ages 12 to 15.
