Sep 12, 2021 - Politics & Policy

New York hospital to "pause" delivering babies after resignations over vaccine mandate

Yacob Reyes

Nurse — Photo: Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A hospital in upstate New York says it will "pause" its maternity services this month after several employees chose to resign rather than get a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine.

Driving the news: At least six unvaccinated maternity staffers at Lewis County General Hospital have quit. In all, 165 staffers, or about 27% of the hospital's workforce, is unvaccinated, CEO Gerald Cayer said at a news briefing.

The Sept. 25 pause will take place two days before the state's deadline for health care workers to get the shot.

What they're saying: "We are unable to safely staff the service after Sept. 24," Cayer told reporters Friday.

“The number of resignations received leaves us no choice but to pause delivering babies at Lewis County General Hospital."
"It is my hope that the [New York] Department of Health will work with us in pausing the service rather than closing the maternity department."

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New York hospital to "pause" delivering babies after resignations over vaccine mandate

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