Vaccine mandate spurs staffing shortage concerns at health care facilities
NY hospitals, nursing homes worried vaccine mandate could affect staffing
An employee cleans the floors of a room at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside in May 2020. Credit: Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger
Employees of hospitals and nursing homes in the state must have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 27, or face possible termination. Others, like assisted-living and home-health-care employees, have until Oct. 7.
Hospital and nursing home officials told Newsday's David Olson that it’s critical employees get vaccinated to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to patients. But firing employees who refuse to get the shot could exacerbate existing staffing shortages, which "could negatively impact the ability of some systems to provide care for their communities," a Sept. 12 Healthcare Association of New York State report said.
Wendy Darwell, president and CEO of the Hauppauge-based Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State, said no hospitals in her organization have told her they expect to cut services. But, "there’s a big unknown," she said, as to how many unvaccinated people will get vaccinated within the next week.
Long Island hospitals have an advantage because almost all are affiliated with larger health care systems, and that means "you have resources to draw on outside your building" and more flexibility, she said.
Plus: See other businesses, schools and facilities that are requiring vaccinations.
See the current percentage of Long Islanders that have gotten vaccinated below.
The percentages of all Long Islanders who got at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or have been fully vaccinated.
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Erin Serpico is an assistant web producer who joined Newsday in November 2018. Originally from New Jersey, she now covers community events and produces local content for newsday.com while also helping run the homepage.
