California sets Feb. 1 deadline for health worker boosters

Mandatory boosters for certain workers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — 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 announced the new rule on Wednesday.

He said the rule will protect staff and patients as a more contagious version of the coronavirus spreads throughout the state.

Newsom said there is no plan to require booster shots for other groups, including state workers, teachers and students.

But he said that could change.

California is doing better than most other states when it comes to the spread of the virus.

Newsom said the state has the lowest positivity rate in the country.