Gov. Hochul is seeking a mandate for booster shots for all healthcare employees in the state of New York. The reasoning for this latest mandate is that it will reduce breakthrough infections.

Yet, studies from Israel and around the world show booster shots did not reduce breakthrough infections.

This petition is about our right for self-determination, our right to refuse and our right to choose. 

This is a slippery-slope. Today we are mandated to take a booster, tomorrow something else. 

We, the undersigned, demand to stop this mandate. Due to previous vaccine mandate, all healthcare workers are vaccinated by now. A booster should not be mandated, but rather a choice.

The healthcare industry is already short staffed. Many employees left because of the initial mandate. Some even moved to another state. These kinds of mandates are hurting applied to low and middle-class healthcare employees. Upper income employees can afford retiring early or resign altogether. In addition, they are only adding fuel to our already divided state and nation. 

Gov. Hochul, in her State of State address on January 5th, laid out a plan to expand the healthcare workforce. In her plan, Gov. Hochul is offering a retention-bonus to new healthcare worker. On the other hand, she strips us from our rights for self-determination and mandating us to take a booster. 

Abusing and stripping our right for self-determination with this mandate is discouraging young people from joining the field. This mandate is sending a message to people, who consider joining the field, that their rights will cease to exist when facing the next challenge.

The latest surge in cases shows booster shots do not reduce risk for breakthrough infections. 

As of 1.7.21, the data shows that while infections are on the rise, hospitalization numbers are stable. 

In addition, 50-65% of  hospitalization this time around are incidental covid cases, meaning, they were admitted to the hospital for another reason and found to be covid positive by screening tests. In other words, Omicron is not the drive behind this increased hospitalization. Fully vaccinated definition has not been changed by CDC.

Data show that surge in Covid-hospitalizations is high among unvaccinated, as per NYS breakthrough data. Therefore, mandating booster on fully vaccinated healthcare workers will not change the risk of hospitalization for unvaccinated. 

Data shows Omicron is not a sever-illness variant for most and breakthrough infections are making our immune system superior as this study suggests: supper-immunity. 

Therefore, we demand to recognize recovery from the virus as equivalent to a booster/additional dose.

We understand the desire to protect everyone. However, it is impossible, especially in medicine to be at 100%. However, enforcing a mandate after mandate just widens the divide around this issue. Scientists tell us that there are going to be more variants, just like the flu. There are breakthrough infections with or without a booster, just like the flu. 

Why increase the divide? How may mandates will there be? Will there be a mandate to have a booster for every new variant that comes along?

Healthcare workers, including direct care, have the right to choose, the right for self-determination. Any one who wants a booster is welcome to take it. This right should be extended to the rest of us, who worked tirelessly through the entire pandemic, including prior to vaccines. Most of us, healthcare workers, were exposed to the virus through care to patients, loved ones at home or by taking mass-transit to work. 

During the height of the pandemic we were heroes, cheered for from balconies. Now, our freedoms and basic rights are abused. If we don’t want a booster, we are the enemy.

A great democracy is being tested under unusual, stressful times. A strong democracy stands the test of a pandemic when if it still stands for our freedoms, rights and liberties, not by abusing them.

We demand this abuse is stopped, our rights restored and protected especially in these uncertain times.