New York State requires state employees to get vaccinated against coronavirus by Labor Day and conduct weekly tests for COVID-19. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday that city employees will be vaccinated and tested every week against the virus by mid-September. The move extends his earlier policy announcement that all New York City employees at hospitals and health facilities must be vaccinated and tested for the highly contagious delta variant, raising alarm bells about increasing cases daily.
A registered nurse administered a second dose of coronavirus vaccine to James Mullen at a COVID-19 – Vacuum site at NYC Health Hospital Metropolitan in New York on Thursday, February 18, 2021. After months of persuading people to get vaccinated against the virus with incentives such as museum tickets and transit passes, New York City sweetened the pot by offering $100 for every city resident who received the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine at city sites, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday, 28 July 2021.
New York City announced a similar policy for employees this week, follows California in ordering shootings and frequent testing for government employees. Cuomo said the city is negotiating with unions to implement the vaccination and testing orders for its 130,000 employees by Labor Day. The announcement comes after the city announced earlier this week that it would require vaccinations and weekly tests for its employees. President Joe Biden is expected to issue similar rules for federal employees.
As in other states, the number of cases of coronavirus related to the delta variant has increased in New York. I think it is good for the economy, good for the private sector and a real incentive for people to get vaccinated. As of Wednesday, the state reported 2,203 new positive cases of coronavirus, up from 275 on June 28. Tokyo reported 3,177 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, registering an all-time high in the first week of the Olympics.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said that 100,000 state employees by early September would need proof of vaccination or undergo weekly virus tests. Frontline workers in state hospitals can get vaccinated but are not allowed to carry out weekly tests.
The announcement follows New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to vacate all city employees and California Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to vacate all state employees and employees at public and private hospitals. The governor also announced the testing options patients will face when working in state hospitals.
The governor said Wednesday that all state employees must be vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 tests starting next month. Cuomo said he would work with state public sector unions on vaccination and testing regulations. California Governor Gavin Newsom followed, saying that all state workers – 246,000 people – must be vaccinated beginning in August and at least be exposed to the virus weekly.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told Wednesday that all State employees must be vaccinated against the Coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 and tested weekly during the first full week of September.