New York Court blocks mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers on religious grounds

A New York court yesterday has temporarily blocked the mandatory vaccination of healthcare workers for Covid-19 because the State order did not provide for religious exceptions.

Judge David Hurd said in a written statement that he was banning the mandatory vaccination, which was due to begin on September 27.

Fifteen doctors, nurses and other health professionals had filed lawsuits against the State, arguing that the mandate violated their constitutional rights in many ways. The plaintiffs claim to be all Christians who oppose vaccines because abortion embryonic stem cells were used in their development.

Judge Hurd gave the State until September 22 to respond to the plaintiffs and set the next hearing for September 28.

The vaccination mandate order was issued last month by former governor Andrew Cuomo, who said about 75% of the 450,000 hospital staff had been fully vaccinated.

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