In a press release Thursday, Samaritan Health announced that the overwhelming financial impact of pandemic necessities would be cause for layoffs in the facility.

Fifty-one employees were let go Thursday in Northern New York's largest health care system. Samaritan also says that 44 open positions will not be filled, for a total of 95 impacted positions. 

Additionally, furloughs placed on 21 employees back in April will be extended. 

There are currently 200 critical positions set to be filled at Samaritan, and employees impacted by the layoffs and furloughs will have the opportunity to apply for them. 

Samaritan also plans to work with the New York Department of Labor to provide outplacement assistance to those employees who cannot fill those positions.

The staffing changes will save the health care system $5 million, as it currently faces a $10 million budget shortfall caused by a 40 percent drop in patient volumes, PPE, testing, and other unanticipated costs due to the coronavirus pandemic.