COVID-19 vaccine mandates are coming to an end for the private sector in the Big Apple.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday that the city is pulling the plug on its sweeping vaccine mandate for the private sector and extracurricular activities at city schools. The removal of the private sector mandate will be effective Nov. 1, and the extracurricular mandate will be effective immediately.
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“The rollout has been important and crucial, and because we’ve been so successful, it’s time to move on to the next level of fortifying our city,” Adams proclaimed Tuesday, according to NBC New York. “This puts the choice in the hands of New Yorkers. It’s imperative we’re asking them to continue to encourage their employees to get their vaccines and booster shots.”
Adams stressed that while the vaccine is becoming optional for businesses and extracurricular activities, the city strongly encourages the public to get the vaccine to protect themselves against COVID-19. His office is strongly urging “private employers to put in place their own vaccine mandates” for workers.
The mayor made his remarks before receiving a bivalent booster shot at City Hall. For now, the COVID-19 mandate for city works will remain in effect, but Adams noted that the city “is in a steady phase of pivot and shift.”
The city previously nixed its vaccine mandate for professional athletes following uproar over the Nets’ Kyrie Irving, who was effectively barred from playing home games at the Barclays Center for his refusal to get the vaccine. Players from other teams who were unvaccinated were able to play at the Barclays Center.
Adams has defended the city’s vaccine mandates in the past, arguing the measures were needed to contain the virus that had forced the city into a shutdown during the thick of the pandemic.
COVID-19 cases in the city have dwindled dramatically since the start of the pandemic, hovering around 1,911 a day, according to data from the city, dramatically lower than the roughly 44,000 daily cases at the pandemic highs.
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Some 89% of New Yorkers, including children, have received at least one dose of the vaccination, according to Adams, ABC7 reported. In addition to announcement of the end to the mandate, Adams also unveiled a new citywide vaccination drive to help distribute the bivalent booster, which guards against omicron variants.
“I’m thrilled to roll up my sleeve and get boosted and encourage all eligible New Yorkers to do the same,” Adams added. “The new bivalent booster is here, providing better protection against variants we are seeing now and quite likely against variants in the future as well.”
