Rudy Giuliani's son has to join NY governor primary debate virtually because he isn't vaccinated against COVID-19

• NY governor candidate Andrew Giuliani has to join a debate remotely as he's not vaccinated.
• Debate host CBS say all visitors to its broadcast centre must be vaccinated, ruling out Giuliani.

Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, has to take part in the Republican Party's gubernatorial primary debate remotely because he isn't vaccinated against COVID-19.

Giuliani announced he was running for New York governor in May 2021.

It followed four years working in the White House as a public liaison to former President Donald Trump, while his father represented Trump as his lawyer and aggressively pushed the false claims of fraud at the 2020 election.

Giuliani and three other candidates for the GOP nomination are scheduled to go head to head in a debate hosted by CBS on June 14.

However, in a press conference streamed live on Facebook on Sunday, Giuliani said he now has to participate remotely.

Giuliani said that CBS changed its mind about him taking part in person. He said the network first told him that providing a negative COVID-19 test would be enough, but then upped the requirement to vaccination.

"I chose very clearly that I was not going to get the shot," Giuliani said.

"I wish I had the opportunity to be in studio."

In a statement, CBS told The Associated Press that all visitors to its broadcast centre must be vaccinated.

"Any candidate who doesn't meet this requirement is encouraged to participate in Monday's debate remotely," the statement said.

Throughout his campaign, Giuliani has criticized the New York City's vaccine mandates. He promised Sunday that he would rehire every first responder fired for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Giuliani says he declined to be vaccinated, arguing misleading that the vaccine "doesn't actually stop transmission" of COVID-19. While no vaccine is 100% effective, the COVID-19 shots have been proven to reduce transmission and greatly reducing the risk of serious illness or death.

In the race for GOP nominee Giuliani faces competition from Rep. Lee Zeldin; Harry Wilson, a businessman and former US official; and Rob Astorino, a former Westchester County executive who was the GOP candidate in 2014.

The winner of the GOP primary most likely faces a run off with incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is the front-running Democratic Party candidate.

The last Republican governor of New York was George Pataki, who left office in 2006.