Rep. Zeldin Joins Frontline Healthcare Workers in Calling on Gov. Hochul to Revoke COVID Vaccine Mandate and End of Day Termination Threat

HAUPPAUGE, NY - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) hosted a press conference and rally this morning at the State Office Building in Hauppauge with local healthcare workers and members of the New York State Assembly and State Senate, and Suffolk County Legislators, in opposition to Governor Hochul's COVID vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, which threatens to fire healthcare workers by 5pm today.

If healthcare workers do not receive at least one dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the day today, without a medical exemption or having previously filed for a religious exemption, they will forfeit their jobs. The Governor's mandate is leading to staffing shortages and chaos in our state's hospitals and nursing homes, and abruptly forcing frontline healthcare workers out of their livelihoods. The order is one-size-fits-all and does not allow for employees who do not want the vaccine to instead be subjected to enhanced PPE and testing requirements.

"Our healthcare workers were nothing short of heroic the past 18 months. Regardless of the uncertainty, lack of PPE and other essential resources at times, gruelingly long hours and pain, suffering, and death around them, they rose to the challenge over and over again. They helped us navigate some of the pandemic's darkest days and saved lives," said Congressman Zeldin. "We shouldn't be firing these essential workers. We should be thanking them for all they've done for our communities."

Watch Congressman Zeldin's opening remarks here.