New York health care workers should get vaccinated against COVID-19 if they can. Working in the medical field requires health workers to rely on science and conduct proper research to serve patients.

Medical professionals in New York were made aware of the mandated vaccine requirement in August before its deadline of Sept. 27. Therefore, they had ample time to research and make a decision.

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care employees went into effect in New York on Sept. 27., leaving hospitals and nursing homes across the state bracing for severe staff shortages exacerbated by non-complying workers who refuse to be immunized being suspended or dismissed.

Healthcare workers are exposed to the most vulnerable patients and must take all precautions to protect themselves and the patients they come in contact with.

Although vaccines are not a cure, they help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

To begin nursing school, documentation of childhood immunizations, an MMR booster and two rounds of the hepatitis B vaccine are required. Working in a hospital or skilled care facility necessitates adhering to a slew of regulations designed to protect patients. Immunization against COVID-19 is one of them.

Officials say 84% of state employees have been completely vaccinated, according to ABC News.

However, thousands are still unvaccinated. Officials devised contingency plans that include reducing non-essential services and limiting nursing facility admissions. The mandate would affect hospitals and nursing homes due to short staff.

Many health care employees rushed to the streets to protest the policy, citing religious freedom as the primary reason for their refusal to be vaccinated.

Under rules derived from the Civil Rights Movement, anyone with a disability or an honestly held religious belief may be entitled to reasonable accommodations, as long as the accommodation does not cause the employer undue hardship.

Religious exemptions are currently not permitted under the mandate, but a previous version of the vaccine mandate allowed them, and some hospitals complied with it.

NewYork-Presbyterian granted 129 religious exemptions out of over 1,000 requests before withdrawing them in late August when state policy changed, The New York Times reported.

The same policy applies to universities, school districts and other organizations that require COVID-19 vaccines.

To fill the roles of the fired health care workers, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the state will recruit the National Guard and medical professionals from other states.

If a healthcare worker’s choice puts patients in danger — the personal choice must give way to professional responsibility.