On October 12, a federal judge ruled that New York state must allow religious exemptions to its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The mandate required medical workers to get the first COVID-19 vaccine dose by September 27 or be subject to termination from employment. The plaintiffs in the case, 17 health care workers, argued that the mandate violated their right to religious accommodation. The Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, indicated the state will appeal the ruling. The ruling by Judge David Hurd will be a test case for other state and federal vaccine mandates.