California sets Feb. 1 deadline for health worker boosters

California's roughly 2.5 million health care workers have until Feb. 1 to get a coronavirus vaccine booster shot or risk losing their jobs

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California's roughly 2.5 million health care workers have until Feb. 1 to get a coronavirus vaccine booster shot or risk losing their jobs, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday.

Newsom gave more details on the booster mandate during a Wednesday news conference at a vaccine clinic in Oakland. He had initially announced the new rule on Tuesday afternoon.

California was the first state to require health care workers to be vaccinated, a rule that took effect in September. Most workers have complied. But thousands of others have either lost their jobs or been suspended.

Now, California joins New Mexico as at least the second state to require a booster shot for its health care workers. Also this week, two of the nation's largest public university systems — California State University and the University of California — announced students must have a booster shot for the spring semester.