Nursing Homes Face Quandary: Vaccinate Staff or Don’t Get Paid.

A new policy from President Biden will require all nursing home workers to be vaccinated against Covid. Facilities that fall short could be penalized or lose federal funding.

Marita Smith runs a nursing home in Seattle, while Janet Snipes manages one in Denver. They share years of experience in the industry and painful memories of Covid-19, but have sharply differing views of a new federal policy that will mandate vaccinations for all nursing home employees. In Ms. Smith’s view, unvaccinated people should not be caring for a vulnerable population already hit hard by the pandemic. The industry is again experiencing rising infection rates and deaths among residents, although none approaching the peak figures of last year, and the mandate is intended to head off another surge. “It’s great,” said Ms. Smith, administrator at St. Anne Nursing and Rehab Center, calling the policy a “pretty big deal” that would “flush out health care professionals who shouldn’t be in health care.”