Media Contact
Adam Allington
New proposed federal restrictions on who can get COVID-19 vaccinations are causing confusion about who should get the shots, and whether they will be covered by insurance.
John August
Director of Healthcare and Partner Programs, Scheinman Institute
John August, program director of healthcare labor relations at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, says this policy chaos has profound impacts on healthcare workers who are the primary point of contact with patients.
August says:
“Our nation’s 17 million healthcare workers are bound by oath to “do no harm”. This crisis created by RFK Jr., and these HSS policies, which question and restrict the role of vaccines and environmental protections does just the opposite.”
“It also puts additional strain on a critically important workforce that was already suffering from high rates of burnout, mental stress, self-harm, and even suicide, all of which was a problem long before the COVID pandemic and RFK Jr. arrived.”
“It now falls to local governments and leaders to counter the misinformation being spread by the administration. For example, the states of New York and New Jersey have created policies supporting both vaccines, as well as frontline practitioners. In places like Florida where the most drastic vaccine prohibitions are in place, it will require the action of state medical societies and professional organizations to educate the public.”
