Commissioner Given Authority To Require COVID-19 Testing And Reporting

The Department of Health (DOH) and the Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) issued another emergency regulation this week to respond to the increasing circulation of the COVID-19 Delta variant. The emergency regulation authorizes the commissioner of health to issue determinations requiring the implementation of routine COVID-19 testing in certain settings, which may include schools, homeless shelters, nursing homes and health care settings. Entities subject to routine COVID-19 testing pursuant to the commissioner's determination may accept documentation demonstrating full vaccination in lieu of imposing such testing requirements, if permitted in the commissioner's determination. The testing determination issued by the commissioner may also include alternatives to testing as well as prevention protocols pending test results based on symptoms and/or exposure in certain settings.