Colorado Mandates COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Workers

Effective August 30, 2021, the State Board of Health enacted a rule requiring all individuals “involved in health care and support staff who regularly come into contact and share spaces with vulnerable populations including patients seeking medical care in essential medical settings and in congregate senior living facilities” to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Read the Rule here. This rule applies broadly in a wide variety of health care settings throughout the State of Colorado. Health care workers covered by the Rule must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 31, 2021. This development follows on the FDA’s grant of full approval to the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on August 23, 2021. State of Colorado employees and many working for and with the City and County of Denver are also subject to vaccine mandates. Employers in Colorado should work with qualified legal counsel to determine their responsibilities under the new mandates. Now that one of the COVID-19 vaccines has been received full FDA approval, employers should also monitor mandate developments closely.