BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – New York State plans to appeal a judge's ruling which temporarily allows for religious exemptions to be used as a reason for health care workers to not get a vaccine.
Governor Kathy Hochul called the decision "disappointing" and said she stands behind her vaccine mandate for health care workers, which does not allow for religious exemptions.
"We believe it worked," Hochul said Wednesday. "It has had a dramatic effect on our ability to protect people, particularly health care workers. When someone is sick and they go into an urgent care center or hospital, they are in need of help because they are in a vulnerable physical state. They need to know the person taking care of them will not pass on this deadly virus to them or their family members."
The judge's ruling on Tuesday put a wrinkle into the governor's efforts to get more vaccines into New Yorkers. The governor said 85% of New York adults have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, 97% of nursing home staff have had at least one dose, 96% of staff at hospitals have been vaccinated, 96% of adult care facility staffers have been vaccinated, and 94% of home health agencies have at least one dose.
