6 DECEMBER 9, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
Mayor de Blasio announces new vaccine
mandate for all private employers in NYC
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
New York City will institute a
first-in-the-country vaccine
mandate for all in-person
private-sector employers this month
to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the
emerging omicron variant, Mayor Bill
de Blasio announced Monday, Dec. 6.
New Yorkers will have to get their
shots against the coronavirus by Dec.
27 — four days before de Blasio leaves
offi ce — and the city will start requiring
two doses of the vaccine instead
of just one, the mayor revealed on
MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
“We in New York City have decided
to use a preemptive strike to really
do something bold to stop the further
growth of COVID and the dangers it’s
causing to all of us,” Hizzoner said. “So
as of today, we’re going to announce
a first-in-the-nation measure: Our
health commissioner will announce
a vaccine mandate for private sector
employers across the board.”
Children ages 5 to 11 will be required
to show proof of at least one dose of the
vaccine starting Dec. 14 for activities
like indoor dining, fi tness and entertainment,
according to de Blasio.
“A lot of parents, of course, want to
take their kids out to wonderful things
that’ll be happening in the holiday season.
Here’s a reminder: Get your child
vaccinated,” he said.
Currently, only about 20% of New
Yorkers in that age group have gotten
vaccinated, according to the mayor.
New Yorkers ages 12 and above will
also have to show proof of getting two
doses, just like adults, except for those
who got the one-and-done Johnson and
Johnson vaccine.
The new mandate will apply to
some 184,000 businesses, according to
City Hall, and comes aft er the mayor
announced a mandate for yeshivas,
Catholic schools and other private
schools on Thursday, where teachers
and students will have to show proof
of at least one dose by Dec. 20.
The protocols will only apply to inperson
workers and businesses with
more than one employee, the mayor
added during virtual press briefi ng
later that morning.
The lame duck mayor claimed he
would work to enforce the new rules
by joining forces with the “business
community” and release more details
— including penalties for noncompliance
— by Dec. 15, and said it will be
similarly eff ective to previous vaccine
requirements that apply to indoor dining,
gyms and other venues.
“There were a few times where we
had to penalize people, but it was rare.
So, we are going to put together the
rules, work with the business community,”
the mayor told reporters.
He added that some accommodations
could be made for exemptions as
with previous mandates, such as for
religious or medical reasons.
A similar move by President Joe
Biden targeting all businesses in the
country with more than 100 workers
was blocked in court, but the city’s
lawyer said the city’s order will withstand
lawsuits because it aff ects all
businesses equally.
“The health commissioner has an obligation
and a responsibility to protect
the public health,” said Corporation
Counsel Georgia Pestana during the
press briefi ng. “It is across the board,
so it’s not picking one industry over
another and treating them diff erently,
so we’re confi dent that this will survive
any challenges.”
De Blasio pushed through a mandate
for all city workers over the past
month, which initially faced vocal
backlash from some departments,
but bumped up the average inoculation
rate for the municipal workforce
to 94% for at least one dose as of Dec. 1.
President Biden imposed a vaccine
mandate for all federal employees
with a deadline on Nov. 22, meaning
employees of New York state and
state-controlled entities like the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority
and CUNY will be among the very few
workforces that don’t have to get the
shot.
The MTA notably is pouring $100
million in federal funds to amp up a
regular testing operation for thousands
of their workers who have yet
to show a proof of vaccine.
Governor Kathy Hochul instituted
a vaccine mandate for state healthcare
workers starting in late September, but
has been hesitant to expand it to large
agencies like the 67,000-strong MTA,
where the rate for at least one dose
stands at 71% as of Dec. 2.
Eight omicron cases have been
detected in New York state residents
as of Dec. 4, seven of which were
found in New York City, and two additional
detections were connected to
out-of-state travelers who attended an
anime convention in the Javits Center
last month.
It will be up to incoming Mayor Eric
Adams whether to actually keep these
new restrictions, and a spokesperson
for his campaign did not commit to
upholding the policies.
“The mayor-elect will evaluate this
mandate and other COVID strategies
when he is in offi ce and make determinations
based on science, effi cacy and
the advice of health professionals,”
Evan Thies said in a statement.
De Blasio told reporters he met with
Adams at Gracie Mansion, the day the
mayor-elect departed for a trip to
Ghana, and briefed him again before
last weekend.
“I gave him the full update on what
we’re doing,” de Blasio said. “He has
always said he understands right now
there are urgent threats facing our city
and the mayor’s job is to protect New
Yorkers, and that’s my responsibility
up till the very last minute.”
But some business leaders were
unhappy about the sweeping mandate,
with the head of the Brooklyn Chamber
of Commerce saying it was “virtually
unenforceable,” on the 62,000 small
businesses in that borough alone.
“As many employers, especially
small businesses, are still struggling
with labor shortages, the mayor’s
private business mandates mean
more pain for the city’s economy,”
said the chamber’s president and CEO
Randy Peers in a statement. “It sets up
problematic confrontations between
employers and staff, which could
result in layoff s around the holidays
that would be incredibly unfortunate.”
Andrew Rigie, executive director
of the nightlife and restaurant trade
group the New York City Hospitality
Alliance, raised concerns that the
tourism industry would suff er due
to visitors not being able to get their
young kids vaccinated over the next
eight days.
“Given the rapidly approaching holidays
and considerable impact of the
Dec. 14 deadline, the proposal should
be delayed until next year,” Rigie said
in a statement.
Mayor Bill de Blasio Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Offi ce
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