The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals is siding with Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration and striking down a temporary injunction that had allowed health care workers to get religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

That reverses a ruling from a federal judge in the Northern District of New York, pausing the state's mandate.

When the mandate went into effect earlier this month, it was met with protest outside some hospitals.

Health care workers with medical exemptions can opt out of the vaccine mandate.