New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she is not budging on a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers and vowed to those who do not get the shot by the September 27 deadline that 'we will be replacing people.'
Hochul reiterated her hardened stance even as some hospitals face staff shortages and a lawsuit was launched by 17 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who say New York's requirement violates their constitutional rights in various ways.
'To all the healthcare providers, doctors and nurses in particular who are vaccinated, I say thank you. Because you are keeping true to your oath,' Hochul told WHAM-TV during a visit to Rochester on Wednesday.
'To those who won't, we will be replacing people.'
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she is not budging on a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers and vowed to those who do not get the shot by the September 27 deadline that 'we will be replacing people.'
U.S. District Judge David Hurd in Utica, in a written order, said he was blocking the mandate from taking effect on September 27 because it does not allow for exemptions based on workers' religious beliefs
Hochul's comments come one week after the lawsuit by a group of Christian healthcare workers who say they object to receiving the vaccines because the cell lines of aborted fetuses were used in their testing and development.
U.S. District Judge David Hurd in Utica, in a written order, said he was blocking the mandate from taking effect on September 27 because it does not allow for exemptions based on workers' religious beliefs.
In response to the lawsuit, Hochul said Wednesday she's not aware of any major religious group that prohibits followers from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
'Everyone from the Pope on down is encouraging people to get vaccinated,' she said.
A lawsuit was filed Monday by 17 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who say New York's requirement violates their constitutional rights in various ways
