The Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS) on Thursday issued a rule saying that most health care workers in the United States will have to be considered “fully vaccinated” with a COVID-19 vaccine by Jan. 4. The rule was handed down for all staff who are employed at Medicaid- or Medicare-funded hospitals or facilities. Unlike the Biden administration’s rule that mandates vaccinations or testing for employers with 100 or more workers, the CMS rule does not allow health care staff to opt-out of the rule by submitting to weekly testing—although religious and medical exemptions can be accommodated. “Ensuring patient safety and protection from COVID-19 has been the focus of our efforts in combatting the pandemic and the constantly evolving challenges we’re seeing,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure in a statement. “Today’s action addresses the risk of unvaccinated health care staff to patient safety and provides stability and uniformity across the nation’s …