Citing an “urgent need” to respond to the wave of infections caused by the Omicron variant, Niagara Health, which serves residents across the 12 municipalities in Ontario, is halting its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination program for its health-care personnel. In a statement issued on Jan. 6, Niagara Health said Omicron was not anticipated at the time its mandatory vaccination program was ordered in October 2021. However, given the intensity of the far more transmissible variant, it made the decision to pause the program in order to focus on its response. “We remain committed to a fully vaccinated workforce at our hospital, and we will proceed with the implementation at a later time to be determined,” said Niagara Health president and CEO Lynn Guerriero in a news release. The agency said the mandate policy has not resulted in job loss for any of its hospital staff. However, following the mandatory vaccination directive …