“As the discussion of the COVID-19 vaccine turns from stages of early development to the reality of distribution in the coming weeks, it is important to not lose sight of the individual freedoms of each and every New Yorker. I have received countless emails from constituents expressing their concerns and fear of the rushed process and the potential health problems that they could incur. We have recently heard about instances of severe adverse reaction to the vaccine by several in the U.K. in the first day of vaccination there. Additionally, in a recent informal poll that I posted on Facebook, individuals continued to express these sentiments with 64.5% of the 107 respondents citing that they would ‘Definitely Not’ plan to get the vaccination once it is made available, while only 18.7% chose ‘Definitely’.

“While I plan to take the vaccine when the time comes and would encourage others to do the same, I do not believe that it should be mandated by legislators, like myself, or bureaucratic agency leaders. I am not a doctor and believe that this decision should be made between an individual and their medical professional, weighing the risks and benefits – especially given the unprecedented, expedited manner in which the vaccine has been developed. Ensuring accessibility and availability to the most vulnerable populations, as well as step-by-step distribution to those who choose to receive the vaccine, is critical. Proposing any sort of mandate beyond that, or completely empowering a state agency to force or mandate the vaccine, would be an overreach.”