Stony Brook Southampton Hospital has been forced to temporarily pause radiology appointments at one of its locations after employees were suspended for not following the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The Stony Brook, New York, system suspended 16 of its employees on Tuesday, Sept. 28, for refusing to get vaccinated in accordance with New York state law. As a result, patient imaging exams at its Hampton Bays Medical Atrium location have been rescheduled.

The blood draw lab remains open, but the radiology department will stay closed until Oct. 8. Other sites performing radiology services have not been impacted, a spokesperson for the hospital confirmed Thursday.

The Southampton Press first reported the story on Sept. 29, and obtained the following statement from the hospital:

“We are proud of our staff’s commitment to the safety and well-being of our patients and community as we continue to provide the highest level of medical care,” the hospital said. “We have temporarily scaled back hours in a few ambulatory services, but will resume full services soon.”

Employees will remain under suspension without pay for 30 days and will be terminated if they haven’t been vaccinated by that time.

More than 98% of the hospital’s 1,200 employees have been vaccinated as of Tuesday, the news outlet reported.

Read the full story below.