On December 22nd 2021, the Governor announced new requirements for healthcare workers and other people in California. The State’s Public Health Officer also issued an amended Public Health Order (PHO) for adult care facilities and direct care workers to implement those requirements, and accompanying Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). You can view the full PHO directive here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Guidance.aspx
This PHO requires booster shots for specified workers, and the weekly testing of specified workers eligible for booster shots who have not yet received their booster shots. This new PHO amends the September 28, 2021 PHO (described in our previous letter) by adding a new section #7 and amending section #9. The new PHO maintains the definitions of employers, workers and exemptions. The new PHO requires, by February 1, 2022 or no later than 15 days after the recommended timeframe below for receiving the booster dose:
“All workers currently eligible for boosters, who provide services or work in indoor settings described in section (4) must be “fully vaccinated and boosted” for COVID-19 by receiving all recommended doses of the primary series of vaccines and a vaccine booster dose pursuant to Table A below.” Table A in the PHO is below:
| COVID -19 Vaccine | Primary vaccination series | When to get the vaccine booster dose | Which vaccine booster dose to receive |
| Moderna or PfizerBioNTech | 1st and 2nd doses | Booster dose 6 mos after 2nd dose | Any of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States may be used for the booster dose, but either Moderna or PfizerBioNTech are preferred. |
| Johnson and Johnson [J&J]/Janssen | 1st dose | Booster dose 2 mos after 1st dose | Any of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States may be used for the booster dose, but either Moderna or PfizerBioNTech are preferred. |
| World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use listing COVID-19 vaccine | All recommended doses | Booster dose 6 mos after getting all recommended doses | Single booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine |
| A mix and match series composed of any combination of FDAapproved, FDAauthorized, or WHOEUL COVID-19 vaccines | All recommended doses | Booster dose 6 mos after getting all recommended doses | Single booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine |
To view the full DDS directive with more details, please go here: https://www.dds.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DDSDirective_BoosterMandate_12232021.pdf