DPH staff and public urged the Health Commission to reconsider vaccine-exemption denials

During the public-comment period, several Department of Public Health employees and community members urged the Health Commission to reconsider aspects of the city’s COVID‑19 vaccine mandate and the department’s exemption process.

Caller Novia, who identified herself as a DPH employee of 17 years, said she had been placed on administrative leave after a religious-exemption request was denied and asked why the city would not accommodate her. “My religious exemption was denied and I was threatened for termination,” she said, adding she had been able to work remotely without performance issues.

Robert Geller, who identified himself as a DPH behavioral-health employee with 23 years’ service, described serious Crohn’s‑disease complications and said his personal physicians declined to issue medical exemptions. He pointed to VAERS reports he believed showed vaccine adverse events for people with Crohn’s disease and asked the department for a medical exemption to retain his job.

Liliana Dela Rosa, a DPH quality‑improvement coordinator, said she was placed on administrative leave pending a religious-exemption determination and urged the commission to “please reconsider your policies around vaccine mandates and accommodating religious exemptions.” She said the current policies could harm beneficiaries and families who rely on DPH services.

Secretary Morowitz and commissioners acknowledged the comments; Director Colfax reiterated the department’s vaccine and booster outreach and the health guidance to encourage vaccination and layered protections. No policy changes or case-level adjudications were made at the meeting; callers were advised of administrative processes outside the commission meeting.

Next steps: Commissioners and DPH staff said they would consider public comment as they continue to implement mandate-related procedures, but the commission did not change its public-health orders during the meeting.