New York could use National Guard to replace unvaccinated health workers

The state is facing huge staff shortages as tens of thousands are unlikely to meet the mandated vaccination deadline

Tens of thousands of unvaccinated health workers in the state of New York could be replaced by reserves from the National Guard. It is estimated that 16% of the state's 450,000 hospital staff - roughly 70,000 workers - have not yet been fully vaccinated. As per Reuters, New York's Governor, Kathy Hochul, is considering enlisting the help of both the National Guard and medical workers from other states to fill the significant staffing shortages across hospitals and healthcare settings in New York. As well as the logistical obstacle of trying to get tens of thousands of workers to meet the Monday 27th September deadline for mandated Covid-19 vaccination, anti-vax attitudes are still presenting its own problem in the health sector. Many British care workers are now facing dismissal or have already lost their jobs after refusing to get the vaccine. The jab was made compulsory for UK care workers back in July, with a November 11th deadline. In a statement from Hochul yesterday, she said that officials are considering declaring a state of emergency in order to allow "to increase workforce supply and allow qualified health care professionals licensed in other states or countries, recent graduates, retired and formerly practicing health care professionals to practice in New York State. Furthermore, those ealthcare workers who were sacked for refusing to get vaccinated will not be eligible for unemployment insurance unless they are able to provide a valid doctor-approved medical exemption.

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