A controversial new proposed law in the New York Assembly
could make the COVID-19 vaccination mandatory if approved.
Assembly member Linda
Rosenthal, who represents the West Side of Manhattan, is proposing a law
requiring COVID-19 vaccines if not enough people are voluntarily getting them.
The bill suggests it would be necessary to mandate the
vaccine to get sufficient immunity. While the bill doesn't define
"sufficient immunity," Dr. Anthony
Fauci has set the bar at 75% of the population.
The bill does allow a doctor to provide someone an exemption
from taking the shots but is receiving public pushback already.
People who spoke with News 12 say they are nervous about
this kind of legislation.
"I know a lot of people right now don't trust it
until someone takes it and that we can see you know, what can it do," says
Rousseau Pointdujour, of Stanford, CT.
"I'm not a huge fan of that, I think it's everyone's choice. It's important that we get vaccinated, but I don't think there should be any mandate on that," says Joe Manfredo, of Ardsley.
New York already mandates some vaccines to attend school and only allows for medical exemptions, including
Polio, Hep B, Chicken Pox and Measles, Mumps and Rubella.
Rosenthal has also proposed a bill allowing all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, to receive a free vaccine. Both are in the Assembly Health Committee.
To counter this proposal, a Republican Assemblyman in upstate New York is pushing a bill
prohibiting mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus, which is also before the Assembly Health Committee.