Baby Deliveries On Hold At Upstate Hospital After Staff Members Resign Over Vaccine Mandate
LOWVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- An upstate New York hospital will stop delivering babies in its maternity unit next week after too many workers resigned over vaccine mandates.
Officials at Lewis County General Hospital in Lowville say they can't safely staff the unit and won't delivery babies until September 24.
The county health system's CEO says six employees in the maternity unit resigned rather than get a COVID shot and another seven 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," Gerald Cayer said.
Cayer says 27% of the hospital's workers are still unvaccinated.
All health care workers in New York State are required to get their first shot by September 27 or face termination.