Coronavirus: What's Happening In Canada And Around The World On Monday Social Sharing
New York woke up on Monday to its first full workday under Mayor Bill de Blasio's order that all city workers be vaccinated for COVID-19, with many police officers and firefighters still refusing the shot and one labour leader calling the mandate a recipe for disaster.
De Blasio, a Democrat who announced the mandate less than two weeks ago, has assured the city of 8.8 million people that officials could handle any shortage of police, firefighters or sanitation workers through schedule changes and overtime.
City workers faced a 5 p.m. Friday deadline to show proof they've received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Workers who don't comply were to be put on unpaid leave starting Monday.
"Another great uptick to report. @FDNY EMS vaccine rates are up to 87%," Danielle Filson, a press deputy for de Blasio, tweeted on Sunday night.
The percentage of inoculated police officers and firefighters is below that of other city employees, and union leaders say de Blasio will be to blame if emergency services are left in disarray in the largest U.S. city.
"We need everyone we can to keep the city running and keep it safe. We're trying to avoid what is going to be an inevitable disaster by design on Monday morning," Andrew Ansbro, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, told a news conference on Friday.
