Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/21-1143_3f14.pdf
Page Number: 1.0

Cite as:  597 U. S. ____ (2022) 

1 

THOMAS, J., dissenting 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

DR. A., ET AL. v. KATHY HOCHUL, GOVERNOR OF 
NEW YORK, ET AL. 

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED 
STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT 

No. 21–1143.  Decided June 30, 2022 

The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied. 
JUSTICE  THOMAS,  with  whom  JUSTICE  ALITO  and 
JUSTICE GORSUCH join, dissenting from the denial of certi-
orari. 

In August 2021, New York mandated that all healthcare
workers receive a COVID–19 vaccine.  See 10 N. Y. Admin. 
Code §2.61 (2021).  It did so to “stop the spread” of the then-
prevailing Delta variant of the COVID–19 virus.  New York 
State  Governor’s  Office,  Governor  Cuomo  Announces 
COVID–19  Vaccination  Mandate  for  Healthcare  Workers 
(Aug. 16, 2021), https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor 
-cuomo-announces-covid-19-vaccination-mandate-healthcare-
workers.  The State exempted employees from the mandate
if  vaccination  would  be  “detrimental  to  [their]  health.” 
§2.61(d)(1).  However, the State denied a similar exemption 
to those with religious objections.  See Dr. A. v. Hochul, 595 
U. S. ___, ___ (2021) (GORSUCH, J., dissenting from denial
of application for injunctive relief ) (slip op., at 3).  Conse-
quently, those who qualified for the broad medical exemp-
tion  simply  had  to  employ  standard  protective  measures 
and could keep their jobs.  But those who objected for reli-
gious reasons would be fired, even if they took the same pro-
tective measures.  See id., at ___–___ (slip op., at 3–5). 

Petitioners  are  16  healthcare  workers  who  served  New 
York  communities  throughout  the  COVID–19  pandemic.
They object on religious grounds to all available COVID–19