New York Hospitals Suspend Staff who Refuse COVID Vaccine

Hospitals in New York have started to suspend or even fire healthcare staff professionals who refuse to get vaccinated. Hospitals are now facing a staff shortage and may have to postpone surgeries and other procedures.

Catholic Health, one of the largest healthcare providers in the state have said they are in compliance with the vaccine mandate and are ensuring all staff members are vaccinated. The provider was forced to postpone a number of surgeries due to a staff shortage. Catholic Health has suspended some of its staff whereas some were exempted from the vaccine on religious or medical grounds.

Other healthcare institutions such as Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo has stopped all elective impatient surgeries and intensive-care patients coming in from other hospitals. The company is planning to fire all unvaccinated employees. Peter Cutler, spokesperson for Erie said, “We had to make a decision as to where we could temporarily make some changes so that we could ensure other areas of services are as little affected as possible.”

The state health department recently issued an order that require all healthcare professionals to get vaccinated. According to the order, professionals in the field must have taken at least the first Covid Vaccine dose by the 27th of September. Dr. Mitchell Katz. Head of NYC Health + Hospitals mentioned at a news conference that around 5000 out of 43,000 healthcare professionals were not vaccinated.

Kathy Hochul, NY governor has stated they made need to ask for out-of-state medical workers to help tackle staff shortages. Fired or suspended professionals who refuse the vaccine will not be eligible for unemployment health insurance unless there is a religious or medical exemption.