State data shows vaccination rates at hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities in R.I.

About 87 percent of health care workers in Rhode Island were fully or partially vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Sept. 13, according to state data

The Rhode Island Department of Health surveyed health care facilities around the state earlier this month to get a snapshot of tens of thousands of health care workers. The survey found the vast majority were complying with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and at a rate that improved from Sept. 2 to Sept. 13. The rate of vaccinated health care workers on Sept. 2 was about 77 percent.

The state acknowledged that workers could finally reporting vaccines they’d already had, but said they’ve also made some progress in persuading reluctant health care workers to get vaccinated.

The state is giving health care providers and workers at state-licensed facilities, both public and private, until Oct. 1 to get vaccinated against COVID-19. If they’re not vaccinated by then, they won’t be allowed in the building — although the state will let them continue to work if the facility can show the staffer is critically necessary to the facility’s operation.

Vaccination rates varied across types of facilities. About 64 percent of workers at nursing service agencies in Rhode Island were vaccinated as of Sept. 13. Of the 30,000 hospital workers in the state, 84 percent were vaccinated, the data show. And of the nursing home workforce in the state, 92 percent were vaccinated.