A New York hospital will stop delivering babies after half of its maternity workers resigned over the vaccine mandates.
Lewis County General Hospital will stop delivering babies after September 24 due to a nursing shortage.
Lewis County Health System Chief Executive Officer Gerald Cayer announced the resignations at a press conference on Friday.
Cayer said 6 of the nurses in the maternity unit quit and another 7 are undecided.
“If we can pause the service and now focus on recruiting nurses who are vaccinated, we will be able to reengage in delivering babies here in Lewis County.”
In August, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced all healthy care workers at hospitals and nursing homes would be required to get at least one dose of mRNA vaccine by September 27.
Cayer said 30 nurses got vaccinated, while another 30 nurses resigned over the mandates.
“Our hope is as we get closer (to the deadline), the numbers will increase of individuals who are vaccinated, fewer individuals will leave and maybe, with a little luck, some of those who have resigned will reconsider. We are not alone.”
Cayer said other NY hospitals are struggling with nursing shortages.
“There are thousands of positions that are open north of the Thruway and now we have a challenge to work through, you know, with the vaccination mandate.”
