the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York NY, a federal judge in New York state blocked a statewide vaccine mandate for healthcare workers late Tuesday. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued the mandate last month, and it was scheduled to take effect September 27. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue that the absence of a religious exemption violates the US Constitution, the New York State Human Rights Law, and New York City Human Rights Law. The 17 healthcare workers who filed the lawsuit have objected to the vaccine requirement on the grounds that the cell lines of aborted fetuses were used in the vaccine’s development. No major religious denomination has taken an opposing stance to vaccination, and Pope Francis has encouraged vaccination, calling it the “moral choice.” The defendants in the lawsuit have until September 22 to respond, and an additional hearing is scheduled for September 28.