New York health care workers who previously received religious exemption from getting their COVID-19 vaccine now have to get their first dose by Monday or walk away from their jobs.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state health department have notified local health systems of the mandate. Anyone who doesn’t will be terminated Monday, November 22. The mandate follows a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals, which rejected the argument for religious exemptions.

The state sent the notice to health systems Monday in a short letter that offered little advice on how to carry out the mandate or handle the aftermath.

In her press briefing Tuesday, Hochul didn’t bring up the news, but continued to emphasize the need for the vaccine as infection rates rise across the state.

"So I'm giving everybody a chance,” Hochul said. “I'm getting the word out saying this is reaching a situation that is untenable. The numbers are far too high. We have the answers. We need to get people vaccinated, get people the booster. And I want our local health departments to know and our local county executives that I have their backs."

Hochul also said that the state is prepared for major staff shortages.

“I have everything from 1,000 student nurses who are ready to be deployed like this,” she said. “We are very conscious of this." Valid medical exemptions are allowed.