Hundreds of healthcare workers in the state of New York were suspended or fired on Tuesday after the state's sweeping Covid vaccine mandates came into effect this week, resulting in staff shortages that prompted some hospitals to postpone elective surgeries or curtail services.
New York's state health department issued an order last month mandating that all healthcare workers receive at least their first COVID-19 shot by September 27, triggering a rush by hospitals to get their employees inoculated.
On Tuesday, a slew of officials from various hospitals across the state announced that dozens of workers had been suspended or fired, amounting to hundreds across the state.
A spokesman for St Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx said that 98 employees were suspended without pay and only have one week to show proof of a vaccine dose before losing their jobs, while Northwell Health, the state's largest medical network which runs several hospitals, announced that it already let go dozens of non-vaccinated workers.
'We have begun a process to exit all unvaccinated team members using a carefully planned approach that both maintains continuity of care at all of our facilities and ensures the safety of all of our patients,' a spokesman said in a statement.
Most hospital spokespeople have refused to give exact figures for the number of non-vaccinated employees that have been terminated, but at a healthcare giant like Northwell of 76,000 employees, even a one percent non-compliance would mean 760 workers are set to lose their jobs.
Northwell Health, the state's largest medical network which runs several hospitals including Staten Island University Hospital (pictured), announced that it already let go dozens of non-vaccinated workers
A spokesman for St Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx (pictured) said that 98 employees were suspended without pay and have until next week to show proof or face termination
New York's state health department issued an order last month mandating that all healthcare workers receive at least their first Covid-19 shot by September 27. The state, which has drawn widespread criticism for its draconian implementation of Covid restrictions, has already forced hundreds of unvaccinated healthcare workers to lose their jobs
'Northwell regrets losing any employee under such circumstances, but as health care professionals and members of the largest healthcare provider in the state, we understand our unique responsibility to protect the health of our patients and each other,' the spokesman continued.
'We owe it to our staff, our patients and the communities we serve to be 100 percent vaccinated against COVID-19.'
The inoculation push comes as President Joe Biden and other state and federal political leaders ratchet up pressure on unvaccinated Americans, some of whom object to mandates on religious or health grounds.
Of the 43,000 employees at the New York City's 11 public hospitals, about 5,000 were not vaccinated according to Dr. Mitchell Katz, head of NYC Health + Hospitals on Monday, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on Saturday she was considering employing the National Guard and out-of-state medical workers to fill staffing shortages, with 16% of the state's 450,000 hospital staff not fully vaccinated.
Healthcare workers who are fired for refusing to get vaccinated will not be eligible for unemployment insurance unless they are able to provide a valid doctor-approved request for medical accommodation, Hochul's office said.
Many hospitals insist that over 90% of their healthcare workers have complied with the vaccine mandate, but some facilities - such as Interfaith, Brookdale and Wyckoff hospitals in Brooklyn - reported vaccination compliance at under 70% last week.
Officials at Long Island's SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital said 134 unvaccinated employees are being suspended without pay and will have to sacrifice vacation days for any time spent not working.
Holly Liapis, a spokeswoman for SUNY which runs several hospitals across the state, said: 'Per the state order, our hospitals have suspended and have begun the removal process for those unvaccinated employees without exemptions.'
Other hospitals that dropped the axe on unvaccinated workers include Albany Medical Center, where 204 employees face dismissal, and Richmond University Hospital in Staten Island according to the New York Post.
Though hospital officials wouldn't name the number of employees facing termination, they reported a 90% vaccination rate among their 2,500-strong staff, meaning roughly 250 workers are likely on the chopping block.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference on Monday the city's hospitals were not yet seeing a major impact from the mandate, but added that he worried about other areas of the state where vaccination rates are lower.
A spokeswoman for Catholic Health, one of the largest healthcare providers in Western New York, said it had reached full compliance, counting staff members who had been vaccinated, those with exemptions and some who had been suspended without pay.
The spokeswoman, JoAnne Cavanaugh, refused to say how many workers had been suspended or granted exemptions due to medical or religious reasons.
Officials at Long Island's SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital said 134 unvaccinated employees are being suspended without pay and will have to sacrifice vacation days for any time spent not working
Long Island Jewish hospital is among the medical centers operated by healthcare giant Northwell Health. Hundreds of workers at Northwell Health alone are expected to lose their jobs - even a 99% vaccination rate across 76,000 employees would suggest that 760 employees are to be fired
Dr Yves Duroseau from Lennox Hill Hospital is inoculated with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park. Brian Conway, a spokesman for the Greater New York Hospital Association, said that there had been a last-minute surge of healthcare workers giving in to the mandate to avoid termination
Catholic Health said it was forced to postpone 'a small number' of elective surgeries.
Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo suspended elective inpatient surgeries and had stopped accepting intensive-care patients from other hospitals as it prepares to fire hundreds of unvaccinated employees, a spokesman Peter Cutler said.
Cutler said the decision to curtail some operations would inconvenience patients and hurt hospital finances. Elective inpatient surgeries bring in about $1 million per week according to the spokesman.
'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,' Cutler said.
'Financially, it's a big deal.'
Brian Conway, a spokesman for the Greater New York Hospital Association, said that there had been a last-minute surge of healthcare workers giving in to the mandate to avoid termination.
'I don't have numbers of people let go, but I do know that our hospitals saw a significant surge yesterday in health care workers getting vaccinated before the midnight deadline,' said Conway.
The furore around the state's vaccine mandates are not expected to die down any time soon.
On Monday, a federal appeals court ruled that New York City can order all teachers and staff to get the vaccine, reversing a previous decision that had put the mandate on hold for the education sector.
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