Prevention of Influenza Transmission by Healthcare, Residential Facility and Agency Personnel

Proposed changes to the regulation for employees who do not receive the influenza vaccination and are required to wear a mask while providing care, were adopted and became effective Nov. 4, 2014. The changes to section 2.59 of 10NYCRR were proposed in July 2014 and were intended to clarify regulatory amendments and implement more flexible reporting provisions.  The clarifications, which LeadingAge NY had previously reported, focused on areas such as relaxing mask use in situations where speech therapy was provided; when communicating with lip readers; allowing removal of masks outside the home in the community for home care workers; and requiring agencies to provide the masks to employeees at no cost, received little public comment. The comments to the flu mask regulations can be viewed on page 13-14 of the NYS Register of Nov. 19, 2014.

Contact: Elliott Frost, efrost@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8832