National Guard May Be Used In New York to Replace Unvaccinated Healthcare Workers

The deadline for healthcare workers being vaccinated in New York ended at the end of the day yesterday, and as New York navigates the possibility of shortages, they are considering having the National Guard step in. Over the weekend, Governor Kathy Hochul laid out her plan for New Yorkers, outlining the steps she could take to increase the workforce in the event that large numbers of hospital and nursing home employees do not meet the state’s deadline. Governor Hochul’s plan includes bringing in outside healthcare help from other states, or deploying medically trained National Guard members, partnering with the federal government to send Disaster Medical Assistance Teams to local health and medical systems, and “exploring ways to expedite visa requests for medical professionals.” New York would have to call in a state of emergency for this to happen.

Source: NPR