(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

As a mandate that requires vaccinations begins today for health-care workers, state Gov. Kathy Hochul released a comprehensive plan that includes declaring a state of emergency to address preventable staffing shortages in hospitals and other facilities statewide.

“We are still in a battle against COVID to protect our loved ones, and we need to fight with every tool at our disposal,” Hochul said over the weekend. “I am monitoring the staffing situation closely, and we have a plan to increase our health care workforce and help alleviate the burdens on our hospitals and other health care facilities. I commend all of the health care workers who have stepped up to get themselves vaccinated, and I urge all remaining health care workers who are unvaccinated to do so now so they can continue providing care.”

On a local level, WCA Home — which was concerned about losing one-third of its workers to the mandate — said over the weekend there was additional progress with its staffing. “So we continue to have good news regarding staffing at the home,” a note to families of residents at the assisted living facility said. “We are down to one staff member still holding out on the vaccine.”

Late last week, the Brooks-TLC Health System in Dunkirk reported 9% — 51 of 573 workers — had yet to receive a dose of the vaccine. “We are getting there,” said Mary LaRowe, president and chief executive officer of Brooks-TLC , “but the 9 percent not vaccinated is still 9 percent of our workforce. And, while that number is on par with what other Western New York hospitals face, in a rural healthcare system the size of ours, the loss challenges our operations.”

As part of a potential executive order to declare a state of emergency, Hochul aims 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.

As of Sept. 22, 84% of all hospital employees in New York state were fully vaccinated. As of Sept. 23, 81% of staff at all adult care facilities and 77% of all staff at nursing home facilities in New York State were fully vaccinated.

The Department of Labor has issued guidance to clarify that workers who are terminated because of refusal to be vaccinated are not eligible for unemployment insurance absent a valid doctor-approved request for medical accommodation.

Other options include deployment of medically trained National Guard members, and partnering with the federal government to deploy Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) to assist local health and medical systems. Additionally, Hochul plans to work with the federal government and other state leaders to explore ways to expedite visa requests for medical professionals.

According to the regulation issued by the Department of Health, all health care workers in New York State, at hospitals and nursing homes, are to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the first dose received by today and staff at other covered entities including home care, hospice, and adult care facilities are to be vaccinated by Oct. 7. The regulation also applies to all out of state and contract medical staff who practice in the state.

“As nurses, we are committed to providing the best care for our patients and working with the governor on these efforts. We need adequate staffing to protect our patients and our colleagues, and we want to do everything we can to avoid returning to crisis levels during the pandemic. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership and for her bold and strategic plan to support nurses, patients, and ensuring the best possible care,” said Pat Kane, RN, Executive Director of New York State Nurses Association.