NYC extends vaccine mandate to all public workers

New York City on Wednesday announced that it is expanding its vaccine mandate to all public employees and it will also end the option of testing weekly instead of getting the vaccine.

The city says that the mandate will affect 160,500 city workers, as they will be required to have one dose of the vaccine by Oct. 29. The only workers excluded are some uniformed corrections officers that will have a deadline of Dec. 1.

City employees who provide proof of vaccination by the Oct. 29 deadline will get a $500 bonus in their paychecks, while those who don’t submit documentation will be placed on unpaid leave until they do.

“There is no greater privilege than serving the people of New York City and that privilege comes with a responsibility to keep yourself and your community safe,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said.

“We have led the way against COVID-19 — from fighting for the right to vaccinate frontline workers, to providing nation-leading incentives, to creating the Key to NYC mandate. As we continue our recovery for all of us, city workers have been a daily inspiration. Now is the time for them to show their city the path out of this pandemic once and for all,” he added.