- Board of Registration in Nursing
ORDER OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC HEALTH
COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order No. 2021-5
Issued August 20, 2021
On May 28, 2021, pursuant to Section 2A of Chapter 17 of the General Laws, Governor Charles D. Baker declared that an emergency exists that is detrimental to the public health in the Commonwealth due to the continuing threat of COVID-19, and authorized the Commissioner, with the approval of the Public Health Council, to adopt measures to facilitate COVID-19 testing and vaccination, to mandate special measures to protect higher risk populations or to effectuate continued surveillance of COVID-19, and to respond as necessary to outbreaks of the virus as they may arise.
Consistent with the Governor’s May 28, 2021 declaration, on June 9, 2021, the Public Health Council approved and authorized the Commissioner of Public Health to take such actions, incur such liabilities, and establish such rules, requirements and procedures which are necessary to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in order to protect the health and welfare of the people of the Commonwealth. Accordingly, having received that authorization from the Council and with the approval of the Governor, I issue the following Order:
The licenses of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses granted pursuant to the Order Rescinding and Replacing the March 29, 2020 Order of the Commissioner of Public Health Maximizing Health Care Provider Availability, issued on April 3, 2020, shall remain valid until December 31, 2021, notwithstanding the recission of that Order on June 14, 2021. Any other license granted pursuant to that Order remains subject to the terms of the recission and shall be valid only until September 15, 2021.
The Board of Registration in Nursing shall notify the Commissioner when it becomes aware of any individual instance where, due to special concerns, application of this Order may be contrary to the public interest. The Commissioner shall in her sole discretion determine whether to apply or suspend the terms of this Order in any such individual instance.
All applicable statutes, regulations, and guidance not inconsistent with this Order remain in effect. This Order shall remain in effect until December 31, 2021 unless extended or rescinded by me prior to that date, or the public health emergency is terminated by the Governor, whichever shall happen first.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Margret R. Cooke
Acting Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
August 20, 2021