New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday morning that the Big Apple will impose a new COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all private-sector employees that will be enforced starting December 27, 2021.
De Blasio is heading out the door, but just before ending his time in office, he is imposing new coronavirus restrictions on New York City residents.
According to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” the mayor is also requiring proof of vaccination for all indoor dining, fitness, and entertainment venues for children ages 5 to 11. In addition to these changes, citizens must receive two vaccine shots as opposed to one to be considered fully vaccinated.
.@NYCMayor discusses new Covid expansions in the city pic.twitter.com/aKsUjkStNP
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) December 6, 2021
De Blasio called the move a “pre-emptive strike” on COVID ahead of the winter months on the morning talk show.
“We’ve got the colder weather, which is going to really create additional challenges with the Delta variant, we’ve got holiday gatherings. 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,” de Blasio said before announcing that his health department would have more information later on Monday.
The #OmicronVariant has arrived. Winter months will make create new challenges. We’re not waiting for another #COVID19 surge.
We’re taking a preemptive strike:
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) December 6, 2021
De Blasio’s mandate is different from President Joe Biden’s federally imposed vaccine mandate — currently being challenged by The Daily Wire — in that any private sector employee, regardless of company size, must follow the mandate beginning December 27.
New York City Councilmember Stephen Levin tweeted his approval, stating: “I really applaud @NYCMayor @BilldeBlasio for this. All along, the argument against vaxx mandates has been it’s unpopular. Nobody likes a mandate. But the fact is, vaxx mandates save lives, & w #Omicron we must be prepared as much as possible. Good to him doing the right thing.”
I really applaud @NYCMayor @BilldeBlasio for this. All along, the argument against vaxx mandates has been it’s unpopular. Nobody likes a mandate. But the fact is, vaxx mandates save lives, & w #Omicron we must be prepared as much as possible. Good to him doing the right thing. https://t.co/vSd38YEBr8
— (((Stephen Levin))) 🟣 (@StephenLevin33) December 6, 2021
The mayor also added: “NYC is a global leader when it comes to #COVID19 recovery. We’ve proven that with vaccine mandates and incentives, we can beat this virus. Now we’re taking another step towards the future — a private sector employee vaccine mandate. Together we can save lives and move forward.”
NYC is a global leader when it comes to #COVID19 recovery. We’ve proven that with vaccine mandates and incentives, we can beat this virus.
Now we’re taking another step towards the future — a private sector employee vaccine mandate. Together we can save lives and move forward. https://t.co/SjxNUla4oJ
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) December 6, 2021
The mandate is set to go in place just four days before de Blasio leaves office. His successor Eric Adams has previously expressed support for existing vaccine mandates in New York City, but it is unclear how we will handle these new changes.