Staff, but not judges, can get COVID shots

New York State judges are not yet eligible for coronavirus vaccines — but court staff and court security officers can receive the coveted shots in the arm.

An email obtained by the Daily News from Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks, who oversees the state court system, reveals that the state’s revised vaccination guidelines turn the judicial hierarchy upside down.

“After considerable thought and discussion, we are interpreting the additional references in the guidelines to ‘Other Sworn and Civilian Personnel’ and ‘Support or Civilian Staff’ to include...all non-judicial personnel of the Unified Court System,” Marks wrote Tuesday.

“We will continue to strongly advocate that the eligibility guidelines be immediately interpreted or expanded to include UCS judges and justices.”

Judges who are 65 years or older or immuno-compromised are eligible for vaccines, just like anyone else who falls into those categories. Dennis Quirk, the head of the union repping court security officers, said judges were upset about the decision.

“They’re not happy,” Quirk said, speaking from a hospital where he’d just been vaccinated. “I’m going to have to be working with judges who are not eligible to get the shot? It’s outrageous.”

The union boss, who has been an outspoken critic of the court system’s handling of the pandemic, called the decision “totally irresponsible” and “insane.”

The pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption of the wheels of justice. Only a handful of trials have taken place. Proceedings that normally would be in-person are conducted via video. Outbreaks have ravaged jails and prisons.

The state Health Department did not immediately have information on judges’ eligibility. Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the Office of Court Administration, said it was bound by the language of Gov. Cuomo’s revised vaccine guidelines.

“As to judges, we strongly believe that they should be eligible. This would apply to all judges and justices who do not qualify under the CDC expanded vaccination eligibility list to include persons age 65 and older, as well as persons with immuno-compromised conditions,” Chalfen said.

“We are continuing to vigorously advocate that the eligibility guidelines be immediately interpreted or expanded to include UCS judges and justices.”