there is not enough people DYING in NY to justify this
https://www.newsday.com/news/health/...ion-1.50362292
Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday she believed the state’s denial of a "religious exemption" allowing health care workers to avoid mandated COVID-19 vaccines would be upheld in court, while Long Island again surpassed 900 new daily cases of the virus.
Nassau County registered 438 new cases in test results from Tuesday, while Suffolk logged 525, for a total of 963. Suffolk also registered four deaths from the virus on Tuesday, among 31 fatalities statewide.
The governor pointed to Long Island as one of several areas of concern around the state as the delta variant causes a surge in infections and deaths, and ordered new mandates for mask wearing at state-regulated child care facilities, residential congregate programs and other locations.
As the battle lines get drawn over vaccination mandates, a judge issued an order late Tuesday temporarily barring New York City’s vaccine requirement for municipal workers, though Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday he believed the city was on solid legal ground.
Hochul took on the religious exemption debate squarely.
"I’m not aware of a sanctioned religious exemption from any organized religion. In fact, they are encouraging the opposite," she said at a news briefing Wednesday. "They’re encouraging their members. Everybody, from the pope on down, is encouraging people to get vaccinated."