By Tim Mastro

WILMINGTON — Staff of long-term care and other Delaware health care facilities will be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing beginning Sept. 30, Gov. John Carney announced Thursday.

State of Delaware employees will also be required to provide proof of vaccination by Sept. 30 or undergo regular testing for COVID-19. Additional information will be provided to state employees by the Department of Human Resources soon, Gov. Carney’s office said.

Gov. Carney and the Delaware Division of Public Health also released a statement Thursday to “encourage private employers to impose similar requirements to encourage vaccinations.”

While the state’s requirements will offer employees a choice between getting vaccinated or getting tested, Gov. Carney said, federal guidance permits employers to require vaccinations, as several Delaware employers have already decided to do.

“There’s no better way to protect our most vulnerable neighbors from this virus than getting the COVID-19 vaccine,” Gov. Carney said in a statement. “If you haven’t gotten your COVID-19 vaccine yet, consider it. Vaccination is how we’ll make sure our communities get healthier and continue to build a great future in our state.”

A list of vaccination sites is available at de.gov/getmyvaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 73.9% of Delaware adults and 71.8% of those 12 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccination requirement in long-term care facilities will be formalized by the end of this month, according to Gov. Carney, and will cover entities regulated by the DHSS’ Division of Health Care Quality.

Wayne Smith, president and CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association, praised Gov. Carney’s decision Thursday.

“The Delaware Healthcare Association joins Gov. John Carney in strongly supporting COVID-19 vaccination as the best way to reduce and ultimately control the pandemic,” Mr. Smith said. “We strongly encourage all to join the hundreds of thousands of Delawareans and hundreds of millions of Americans who have received a vaccine to protect themselves and our neighbors from the COVID-19 virus.”

“Our members continue to assess their local needs and environments with regard to vaccine strategy for their employees,” Mr. Smith added. “Some members have adopted policies of mandated workforce vaccination. Other members have implemented initiatives designed to maximize workforce vaccination and increase the number of employees who will ultimately receive both doses of an approved vaccine. DHA supports all of our members and their deliberative processes. All are creating policies that optimize patient and employee safety, while considering local circumstances and environment. Every Delawarean can rest assured that every Delaware hospital continues to present a safe and caring healing environment.”

The state, as of Thursday afternoon, had not responded to an inquiry on the percentage of long-term care staff who have already been vaccinated.

Delaware recorded 343 positive cases of COVID-19, according to the DPH’s daily update on Thursday, which is the highest one-day total since April 29.

The DPH also reported one new COVID-19-related death — a 55-year-old New Castle County resident who was unvaccinated.

There have been 1,837 COVID-19-related deaths in Delaware, 825 of which have come from long-term care residents. Long-term care facilities have also recorded an all-time total of 2,794 positive cases among their residents.

Delaware’s COVID-19 hospitalizations increased to 108 — the most since May 7. Of those currently hospitalized, six cases are considered critical.