2,000 More City Workers Get Vaccinated in Last 24 Hours, 92% of City’s Workforce is Now Vaccinated

By Yehudit Garmaise

     After the mandate for all of New York City’s workers to get vaccinated or be put on unpaid leave went into effect yesterday, 2,000 more city workers got vaccinated yesterday to bring the total number of the city’s workforce vaccinated to 92%.

     However, of the 325,000 city workers in the nation’s largest municipal government, 12,000 have applied for medical or religious accommodations.

     “We are going through those accommodation requests,” said Mayor de Blasio who said he expected the process of review to take “days or weeks.” “People put in requests to be reviewed, there is an opportunity then given for any additional information to be offered, and there is an appeal process.”

     The mayor, however, expressed optimism that workers who get their accommodation applications denied would then choose to get vaccinated, so that they can continue working for the city.

     “For people who do get their accommodations approved, OK,” Mayor de Blasio said, “but for those who don’t, that is a decision point, and in the past with the hospitals and with the Department of Education, the vast majority of people who were told that, ‘No, their application isn’t approved,’ they then chose to get vaccinated, and I expect that to happen here.

     “The big story is clear: 92% of the workforce is now vaccinated. Folks, when they get to that decision, are overwhelmingly choosing to get vaccinated.”

     When the mayor was later asked how he balances his responsibilities as a mayor with his aspirations to become governor, he said, “Every day, I am focused on keeping people safe in this city, and I am really proud that this vaccination mandate has had such an incredibly positive impact: 92% of workforce vaccinated.

     “We have proven that the mandates worked: whether it was indoor dining or schools. 

     “I am proud of having taken a strong stance to fight back COVID, and it is working, and that is where I am keeping my focus.”

Darren McGee- Office of former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)