“Crisis. Overwhelmed. Dire. Crippling. These are just a few of the words used in headlines over the last several months to describe the situation in our local hospitals. Despite the concerns we continue to hear from hospital and nursing home administrators, nurses and staff, New York State issues yet another mandate that could further impact staffing in our health care facilities and jeopardize their ability to safely care for the people of our communities. I have continued to advocate for a rigorous testing program to give our hospitals and nursing homes greater flexibility in staffing. The health care workforce is overburdened and burned out. We need to help them, not crush them with more mandates.” 

Finger Lakes region counties, including those in Senator Helming’s district, recently sent a letter to the Governor urging her to reconsider the vaccine booster mandate for health care workers.