New York City Mandates COVID-19 Vaccines for All Public School Staff

New York City officials and Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced that all Department of Education (DOE) employees in the city are required to provide proof of a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 27.

This mandate aligns with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to city officials. It is an important step in keeping school communities safe as its schools are scheduled to return to in-person instruction on Sep. 13.

“We’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure that everyone is safe and that we push back Delta.”

– Bill de Blasio, New York City mayor

This action will impact around 148,000 DOE employees and contractors, though over 63% of these individuals are already vaccinated, according to the city. This is an update from the department’s most recent policy, which required unvaccinated DOE employees to submit to conduct regular COVID-19 tests or face suspension without pay.

Notably, this mandate comes as U.S. health officials have fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

What’s Next?

The city is also considering mandates for other government employees, according to Mayor de Blasio. This mandate is among others that have recently been issued by various government agencies, educational institutions and employers across the United States. Employers should continue to monitor updates regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates from local officials.

We will keep you appraised of any noteworthy developments.