New York state has braced itself for the possibility of losing tens of thousands of unvaccinated health workers who fail to meet the state’s Monday deadline for COVID-19 vaccination.

Last month, New York’s health department announced that all health care workers in the Empire State would be required to receive at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by September 27.

As of last week, 84 percent of New York’s roughly 450,000 hospital workers were fully vaccinated, according to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office. That leaves the fate of about 72,000 workers in question as the deadline passes. In addition, only 81 percent of staff in the state’s adult care facilities and 77 percent of all staff at nursing home facilities were fully vaccinated as of last week.