Monmouth Co. Officials Defend Vaccine, Testing In Health Care

MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ — New Jersey State Sen. Vin Gopal and Assemblywoman Joann Downey, both representing Monmouth County's 11th Legislative District, recently came out in support of the new mandate requiring COVID-19 vaccines or testing for state health care staff.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Monday that health care facilities and other high-risk congregate settings have until Sept. 7 to establish a system to vaccinate all employees or routinely test them for the coronavirus.

These include hospitals, correctional facilities, long-term care and assisted living facilities, specialty hospitals, in-patient rehab facilities, behavioral health facilities and memorial homes.

READ MORE: COVID-19 Vaccines, Testing Now Mandatory For NJ Health Care Staff

Gopal, who is the Chair of the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said the mandate would be an important step towards safeguarding the wellbeing of veterans across the state.

“The state-run veterans homes were among some of the hardest facilities hit in the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic," Gopal said in a statement. "This mandate to either have state health care employees get vaccinated or be tested every two weeks means we can give some assurance to our veterans and other community members that they are safe and their health will continue to be a priority in this state.”

The senator pointed out that the announcement comes just a week after the federal Department of Veteran Affairs set their requirements to protect veterans.

“We must do better by our veterans, who have sacrificed for their country, and deserve quality and consistent care in a safe and secure setting, and under the watchful eye of experienced, compassionate, and vaccinated or tested professionals," Gopal said.

Downey, the Chair of the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee, added that the new guidelines would also protect those with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD).

"The stories I have heard throughout the pandemic about the mishandlings within the IDD long term care facilities have been disheartening to say the least," Downey said. "These facilities were hit extremely hard when the pandemic first started, and now because the delta variant poses a dangerous risk, I am happy to see the State taking steps towards protecting this community along with other vulnerable communities within New Jersey."