Hospital to pause delivering babies as maternity workers quit over vaccine mandate



An upstate New York hospital said it would soon pause the delivery of babies due to maternity unit workers quitting their jobs because of the COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

On Aug. 16, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the state was implementing a vaccine mandate for all health care workers, including staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities, nursing homes, adult care, and other congregate care settings. Cuomo's order required all health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 27.

However, some health care workers are refusing to receive the coronavirus vaccine, which has caused hospitals to be short-staffed. At the Lewis County General Hospital in Lowville, New York, nearly half of the maternity ward employees at the hospital have resigned over the mandate or are considering not to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

During a news conference on Friday afternoon, Lewis County Health System CEO Gerald Cayer announced that of the 30 hospital workers who have resigned, 21 are in clinical areas. There are six employees in the maternity who will quit over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and another seven who are undecided about getting the vaccine, according to WWNY-TV.

Cayer said the hospital will be unable to staff the maternity ward safely, and will pause delivering babies after Sept. 24. He noted that he hopes the closure will be temporary, and will seek assistance from the state's Department of Health to keep the maternity ward open, which was already short-staffed before the resignations. A hospital official said there is a "shortage of nursing staff in the region, pre-mandate."

"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," Cayer said.

"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," Cayer said.

Cayer noted that 27% of the hospital's employees are unvaccinated against COVID-19.

The Lewis County Health System has five employees in quarantine, five employees in isolation, and four community members hospitalized who are COVID-positive.

Cayer said he supports the vaccine mandate, saying vaccines combined with masks provide the "highest level of protection."

"It just is a crazy time," Cayer stated. "Rural hospitals everywhere are really trying to figure out how we're going to make it work."

In Detroit, roughly 50 health care employees launched a lawsuit against the Henry Ford Health System over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The lawsuit claims that the forced vaccines violate the Fourteenth Amendment's protection of "personal autonomy and bodily integrity."

Vaccine mandates have also caused bus drivers to quit their jobs in Chicago.

In August, the Chicago Public Schools experienced a mass resignation of school bus drivers. Approximately 10% of drivers resigned before schools reopened.

"According to the bus companies, the rush of resignations was likely driven by the vaccination requirements," a statement from the district said. "As a result, the district went from being able to provide all eligible students a bus route, to being unable to accommodate transportation for approximately 2,100 students within a matter of days."

Some U.S. service members have voiced their hesitation to the vaccine mandates in a roundtable discussion with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).

Military members speak out against vaccine mandates: 'I wanted to serve my country, now I am looking at a result in which I am lumped in with felons'



Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a memo last week calling for the mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations of American troops. Austin ordered United States military leaders to "impose ambitious timelines for implementation."

More than 800,000 service members have yet to get their COVID-19 vaccines, according to Pentagon data.

In June, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced HR 3860, which would prohibit any mandatory requirement that a member of the Armed Forces receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

"This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to require a member of the Armed Forces to receive a COVID-19 vaccination," the bill states, which has 31 cosponsors. "The bill also prohibits adverse action (e.g., punishment) being taken against a member of the Armed Forces because the member refuses to receive a COVID-19 vaccination."

On Friday, Massie hosted a roundtable discussion with a dozen members of the U.S. military to hear their concerns about the imminent vaccine mandate. The military members remained anonymous to avoid any backlash or retribution for their opinions on the COVID-19 vaccine. Massie's office did vet each service member for authenticity for the conference call.

One soldier, a six-year veteran of the Air National Guard as a front-line health care worker, said, "The science is ignored in favor of a vax everyone at all costs position. Superiors are aware of the fact that soldiers with prior exposure to COVID have a better immunity response than could be achieved with a vaccine, yet it simply does not matter."

Another anonymous service member who has been part of the military's COVID-19 response team for the past six months claimed, "The pressure from commanders to get people vaxxed is intense." The individual is in the process of obtaining an exemption, but alleges there is daily harassment from commanders who urge him to abandon his exemption request, according to the New American.

A Christian, who joined the military out of a sheer love of country, said his religious accommodation request was denied by the Surgeon General of the Army "without any reason given." The Army veteran proclaimed, "I am going to fight this in Federal Court if I need to."

A major with 17 years of active service revealed that he contracted COVID-19 and recovered. The officer suffers from a heart condition, which is under control. Still a few years away from retirement, the major revealed, "Privately I've been told that I qualify for a medical exemption, but the pressure put on the medical staff is such that none of the doctors are willing to officially sign off."

"This is total nonsense; we have thousands of soldiers deployed in combat zones overseas and none of them have received the COVID vaccine," the incensed major declared. "They are still accomplishing the mission."

An enlisted Navy man alleged that an officer told him, "You are the reason your mom and dad is going to die." However, the reason why the Air Force E4 is vaccine hesitant is because a close family member recently died from a blood clot immediately after getting the vaccine.

"I wanted to serve my country and now I am looking at a result in which I am lumped in with felons and rapists, I won't even be able to own a firearm," the Navy man, who is still under contract, said.

Two of the service members say they have been threatened with a court-martial or a dishonorable discharge.

Biden administration discussed mandating vaccines for interstate travel; conservatives swing back: 'Immoral and unconstitutional'



A new report claims that the Biden administration is looking for a "tougher approach" to get COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of Americans as the coronavirus cases increase across the country.

One alleged strategy that President Joe Biden's administration considered was requiring Americans to get a vaccine passport for interstate travel. Conservatives quickly swung back at the Biden administration for even considering making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for interstate travel.

The Associated Press reports that the Biden administration is weighing possible penalties for Americans who don't get vaccinated, and ways to make their lives "more uncomfortable."

"White House officials say Biden wanted to initially operate with restraint to ensure that Americans were ready for the strong-arming from the federal government," the article states. "The federal moves have been carefully calibrated to encourage a wave of businesses and governments to follow suit."

"He has refrained from using all his powers to pressure Americans to get vaccinated," the Associated Press claims. "He's held off, for instance, on proposals to require vaccinations for all air travelers or, for that matter, the federal workforce. The result is a precarious balancing act as Biden works to make life more uncomfortable for the unvaccinated without spurring a backlash in a deeply polarized country that would only undermine his public health goals."

Ben Wakana, the deputy director of strategic communications and engagement for the White House COVID-19 response, said vaccine mandates are "the right lever at the right time."

"Still, while more severe measures — such as mandating vaccines for interstate travel or changing how the federal government reimburses treatment for those who are unvaccinated and become ill with COVID-19 — have been discussed," the report says.

The outlet notes that the Biden administration is concerned that these actions "would be too polarizing at this time." A White House official said that mandating vaccines for interstate travel is "not under consideration at the moment."

The mere thought of the Biden administration even considering ignited instant backlash from conservatives on social media.

  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R): "While Biden is considering mandating vaccines for interstate travel, he is allowing a record number of illegal migrants to cross our southern border—many of whom test positive for COVID. This double standard is dangerous & must be stopped."
  • Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.): "Biden's plan: Limits on interstate travel for Americans. Open borders for illegal immigrants."
  • "Hillbilly Elegy" author and Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance: "Immoral and unconstitutional."
  • National Review contributor Pradheep J. Shanker: "Polarizing? How about ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL? Or does Biden not care about that? Even worse: DEMOCRATS OPPOSED SOMETHING SIMILAR WHEN TRUMP CONSIDERED IT AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC!!!!"
  • Conservative editor-in-chief Jonah Goldberg: "I'm pro-vaccine. I'm in favor of lots of extraordinary measures to get people vaccinated. But requiring proof of vaccination for interstate travel strikes me as one of the dumbest, most unworkable, and counter-productive ideas out there. I hope it stays on the drawing board."
  • Conservative commentator Dana Loesch: "But voting without ID is fine."
  • Former CIA ops officer Bryan Dean Wright: "Shutting down interstate travel over a virus with a 99% survival rate? Naw. This ain't about public health."
  • Podcast host Liz Wheeler: "Mandating the covid vaxx for interstate travel has 'been discussed'?! Hell no. This is a called a test balloon, to prepare people for when the Biden admin drops this dictate. This is OUTRAGEOUS."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 167 million Americans are fully vaccinated, which is just over 50% of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, the current 7-day moving average of daily new COVID-19 cases increased 18.4% compared with the previous 7-day moving average, according to CDC data.

Hawaii requires high school athletes to be vaccinated to play sports



High school athletes and the athletic staff in Hawaii will be required to be fully vaccinated in order to participate in scholastic sports this year. The decision to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory was made by the Hawaii State Department of Education.

According to MaxPreps, the majority of Hawaii's high school football games were scheduled to kick off the season on Aug. 13, but were delayed until late September at the earliest to provide time for athletes and staff to get the coronavirus vaccine.

The Hawaii State Department of Education said in a press release that "all student-athletes, athletic staff and volunteers will need to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 24, 2021, to participate in school-sanctioned athletic activities for the 2021-22 school year."

The Department of Education defines "full vaccination" as "two weeks after a second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine." The Department of Education notes that a person who received their "first shot by Aug. 20 and a second dose by Sept. 10 would be fully vaccinated by Sept. 24, under Pfizer's two-dose schedule."

Hawaii's DOE noted, "Students and adults may seek exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirements for religious or medical reasons, with the appropriate documentation." People granted exemptions to the vaccine mandate are required to undergo a COVID-19 test twice a week.

Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine only for individuals ages 12 and up.

"We opened the new school year this week with in-person learning and our highest priority is to ensure all students can continue to attend school safely," Keith Hayashi, interim superintendent of the Hawaii State Department of Education, said. "This decision was not made lightly because we know the important role athletics play in a well-rounded education, but we cannot jeopardize the health and safety of our students and communities."

"We saw over the weekend the impact that just one potential case can have on sports teams, students and families," he continued. "The alternative is canceling the season outright, which we don't want to have to do; so we are implementing this layered plan that prioritizes vaccinations as the best way to protect against and reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19."

Hawaii canceled all public high school leagues last fall due to the coronavirus pandemic and was reportedly one of only three states that didn't play high school football in the 2020-2021 season.

Hawaii reopened public schools for full in-person instruction earlier this month, but "masks must always be worn correctly and consistently by all students and staff when indoors."

According to the Hawaii Department of Health, over 61% of the population has been vaccinated, and there have been five COVID-19 deaths of those under the age of 17.

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