The mayor of New York, one of the cities most affected by Covid-19 in the United States, has decided to raise the bar to prevent new infections by forcing all public employees to be vaccinated against the virus.
Compulsory vaccination for all New York public employees
In total, there is talk of 300,000 people subject to the obligation, of whom almost half have already been vaccinated, leaving about 160,000 to be immunized. This measure will directly affect some 46,000 policemen and firemen who have not yet received the vaccine doses.
The latter are particularly resistant to the vaccination categories.
“We have to save lives, and we do it with vaccines,” said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference, “my goal is to end the Covid era once and for all.
It can be done, but only if we keep insisting.”
De Blasio then added: “Do you want to get paid or not? Well, the vast majority of people in public service need that paycheck.”
The obligation for all municipal workers will begin on November 1, by which time they should have received at least the first dose.
To speed up the deadlines, it has also been decided to offer a financial incentive: municipal workers who get vaccinated before Oct. 29 at municipal centers will receive a $500 bonus on their paychecks.
“I think with the $500 and the need for employment, they’ll have a conversation with their doctor and get vaccinated,” said Gregory Floyd, president of Teamsters Local 237, a group representing about 7,400 New York Times employees.
Public housing in the city. Many co-workers, Floyd added, are still confused by misinformation – “they don’t know what the vaccine will do to them, they’re afraid.”
