New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) on Monday announced he would lift the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for municipal workers and the city’s Department of Education employees.
“[T]his is the right moment for this decision,” Adams said in a statement, noting that more than 96% of the city’s employees have been vaccinated against Covid.
The mandate was put in place in November 2021 by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio. Since then, roughly 1,780 city workers have been fired for refusing to show proof that they had been vaccinated against Covid. If the mandate is rescinded, they’ll be able to reapply for their old jobs.
The decision regarding municipal workers comes about four months after New York City ended a Covid vaccine mandate for private employers.
It also comes after the Biden Administration announced it would lift both the national emergency and the public health emergency for Covid-19 on May 11.
New York City’s vaccine mandate is set to end on Friday if the decision is ratified, as expected, at the upcoming city Board of Health Meeting, Adams said, adding, “I continue to urge every New Yorker to get vaccinated, get boosted, and take the necessary steps to protect themselves and those around them from COVID-19.”
