New York State Mandatory Vaccinations for Medical Staff… September 27 Deadline Ends
Erie County Hospital “I’m going to lay off 300 people… stop non-essential surgeries”
“Patient discomfort is also a problem, but it will take a big hit on the hospital’s finances.”
[앵커]
Last month, as the deadline for vaccination of medical staff, which was mandated by the state of New York, ended, the layoffs and forced leave of medical personnel became a reality.
Tens of thousands of people in New York State alone are at risk of being laid off, but other states are about to take similar measures, raising concerns about a medical vacuum in the United States, which is already suffering from a medical shortage due to COVID-19.
Reporter Lee Yeo-jin reports.
[기자]
Last month, New York State made it mandatory for health care workers to receive at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 27.
As the vaccination deadline closes, the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) in Buffalo has announced it will lay off 300 unvaccinated medical staff, halting non-essential surgeries and no longer accepting critically ill patients from other hospitals.
The inconvenience of patients is also a problem, but a hospital spokesperson explained that it would take a big hit to the hospital’s finances, which are earning 1 million dollars a week and 1.2 billion won in our money from non-essential surgeries.
As of the 22nd of last month, 72,000 people, or 16% of the 450,000 health workers in New York State, were not vaccinated.
New York Governor Casey Hocal has said the National Guard or out-of-state medical personnel will be deployed if necessary.
[케이시 호컬 / 뉴욕 주지사 : 의료 훈련을 받은 주 방위군이나 은퇴해서 면허가 만료됐을 가능성이 있는 의료진을 배치하고 다른 주 의료진을 데려올 것입니다.]
Governor Hocal also emphasized that medical workers who have been laid off for refusing to be vaccinated without good cause cannot claim unemployment insurance benefits.
In New York City, 5,000 out of 43,000 workers in 11 public hospitals were not vaccinated.
[미첼 카츠 / 뉴욕 시립병원 대표 : 의료진 4만3천 명 가운데 90%는 백신을 맞았고 아직 백신을 맞지 않은 사람이 5천 명 정도 됩니다.]
However, 98% of doctors and 95% of nurses in New York City public hospitals were vaccinated, so medical services were running smoothly.
New York City has yet to see a shock, but New York City mayor said there could be a health gap in other parts of the state.
[빌 더블라지오 / 뉴욕시장 : 걱정되느냐고요? 그렇습니다. 하지만 뉴욕시 개인 병원에 중대한 의료 공백은 당장은 없어 보입니다. 뉴욕시를 제외한 뉴욕주 나머지 지역에는 큰 도전이 있을 것으로 봅니다.]
Starting with New York State, Rhode Island and Maine, Washington, Oregon and Colorado are scheduled to take effect next month.
Because of this, hospitals are concerned that there will be a medical vacuum in the United States, which is already suffering from a shortage of medical personnel due to COVID-19.
This is YTN Lee Yeo-jin.
YTN Lee Yeo-jin (listen2u@ytn.co.kr)
[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
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