Welcome to the Office of the Professions’ newly redesigned website. Portions of this site may still be under development, so if you experience any issues or have any questions please submit a Website Feedback Form.
  • NYSED Homepage
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us
  • NYSED Employment
  • Board Members Only

Poliovirus and Professional Practice

Important Information for Licensees Impacted by Polio

In response to the poliovirus emergency disaster, the Governor has issued Executive Orders (EO) that impact licensed professionals. 

EO #21.1 - Effective until November 8, 2022

  • Temporary Suspension and Modification of Education Law and Regulations insofar as such modification authorized midwives to administer vaccinations against poliovirus to any patient pursuant to a non-patient specific order under the medical supervision of licensed physicians, licensed physician assistants, or certified nurse practitioners, is further modified to the extent necessary to allow midwives to also administer vaccinations against poliovirus which contain diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and Hib vaccines;
  • Temporary Suspension and Modification of Education Law and Regulations insofar as such modification authorized pharmacists to administer vaccinations against poliovirus pursuant to a non-patient specific order, is modified to the extent necessary to allow pharmacists to also administer vaccinations against poliovirus pursuant to a patient specific order and also to the extent necessary to allow pharmacists to also administer vaccinations against poliovirus which contain tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and Hib vaccines pursuant to a non-patient specific and a patient specific order; and
  • Temporary Suspension and Modification of Education Law and Regulations insofar as such modification authorized physicians and certified nurse practitioners to issue a non-patient specific regimen to persons authorized by law or by this executive order to administer vaccinations against poliovirus, is modified to the extent necessary to allow physicians and certified nurse practitioners to also issue non-patient specific regimen to administer vaccinations against poliovirus which contain diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and Hib vaccine, and also to issue patient specific orders to licensed pharmacists for administration of immunizations to prevent poliovirus including vaccinations which contain diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and Hib vaccine.

EO #21 - Extented until November 8, 2022 by EO #21.1 unless noted below

  • MODIFIED AND EXTENDED BY EO #21.1 (See above) - Temporary Suspension and Modification of Education Law and Regulations as such provisions limit the practice of midwifery to management of normal pregnancies, child birth and postpartum care as well as primary preventive reproductive health care of essentially healthy women, and newborn evaluation, resuscitation and referral for infants, and insofar as it limits the practice of midwifery to midwives who practice in accordance with collaborative relationships with licensed physicians or hospitals, so that for the purposes of this disaster emergency, midwives may administer vaccinations against poliovirus to any patient pursuant to a non-patient specific order under the medical supervision of licensed physicians, licensed physician assistants, or certified nurse practitioners, provided, however, that a midwife without a certificate issued by the State Education Department for administering immunizing agents, must meet conditions set by the Commissioner of Health;
  • MODIFIED AND EXTENDED BY EO #21.1 (See above) - Temporary Suspension and Modification of Education Law and Regulationsto the extent necessary to allow pharmacists to administer vaccinations against poliovirus pursuant to a non-patient specific order;
  • MODIFIED AND EXTENDED BY EO #21.1 (See above) - Temporary Suspension and Modification of Education Law and Regulations to the extent necessary to permit physicians and certified nurse practitioners to issue a non-patient specific regimen to nurses or any such other persons authorized by law or by this executive order to administer vaccinations against poliovirus; and
  • Temporary Suspension and Modification of Public Health Law and Regulations to the extent necessary to suspend the requirement that health care providers, including registered nurses, midwives, certified emergency medical technicians-paramedics, advanced EMS providers and pharmacists, who administer poliovirus vaccine to persons 19 years of age or older are required to obtain consent of the vaccine in order to report such vaccination to the New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS) or the Citywide Immunization Registry (CIR), and such provisions are further modified to the extent necessary to require all poliovirus vaccinations for any individual (child or adult) to be reported to NYSIIS or CIR, as applicable, within 72 hours of administration of a poliovirus vaccination. Nothing in this paragraph shall be read to permit the vaccination of any person without their consent or the consent of another person legally authorized to provide such consent.