McMahon says hospital-worker vaccine mandate a “real problem”

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says the mandate requiring vaccinations for hospital workers that takes effect at midnight Tuesday morning is “a real problem.”

McMahon also noted that he’s “pretty torn on this policy.” He says state government, which is enforcing the mandate, has had time to prepare for it.

“So, hopefully, the plan’s going to be implemented when you could see 10 percent of our workforce walk off in the hospitals,” McMahon said during a COVID-19 briefing Monday afternoon at the John H. Mulroy Civic Center.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday announced a plan “to address preventable staffing shortages in hospitals and other health care facilities statewide.”

The plan includes preparing to sign an executive order if necessary to declare a state of emergency that seeks 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.

Besides the health-care worker vaccine mandate, McMahon also shared weekend COVID-19 data.

Weekend data

McMahon reported the county had 348 virus cases on Saturday, 188 on Sunday, and 169 on Monday.

McMahon reported five Onondaga County residents died from COVID-19 since Friday. The dead included a female in her 50s with no underlying conditions; a female in her 60s with underlying conditions; and three males in their 40s, 50s, and 80s, respectively, all with underlying conditions.

In addition, 83 people with COVID are currently in an area hospital. The figure includes 24 people in an intensive-care unit, with nearly 92 percent of those cases being people who aren’t vaccinated.

The data also indicated 31 new admissions to a hospital during the weekend, 51 percent of whom weren’t vaccinated.