NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- New York City will require all municipal workers to get coronavirus vaccines by September 13 or face weekly COVID-19 testing.
“It means all city agencies,” de Blasio said, “September is when the rubber hits the road and this is when we have to make the difference.”
The move announced Monday by Mayor Bill de Blasio follows last week's announcement mandating vaccinations or weekly testing for all employees at city-run hospitals and health clinics beginning Aug. 2, as the city battles a rise in COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly contagious delta variant.
"The Delta Variant is deadly and this city is taking it seriously. Today I’m announcing that EVERY City government employee will be required to provide proof of vaccination or submit a weekly #COVID test," de Blasio tweeted.
Additionally, 45,000 city government employees who work in congregate and residential settings will need to be vaccinated or begin weekly testing on Aug. 16, according to the mayor.
The number of vaccine doses being given out daily in the city has dropped to less than 18,000, down from a peak of more than 100,000 in early April. About 65% of adults in the city are fully vaccinated.
The Associated Press contributed this report.