New York City issues vaccine mandate for city workers to fight Delta variant

NEW YORK - New York City will require municipal workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by mid-September or face weekly testing, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday, as authorities nationwide have ramped up vaccine promotion to try to stem a wave of infections caused by the Delta variant.

Mayor de Blasio's announcement, which imposes a vaccine mandate on more than 300,000 municipal workers, comes a week after the city passed a vaccine mandate for all healthcare workers at city-run hospitals and clinics. Citywide, about 59% of the population is vaccinated against COVID-19. "It is about protecting the workforce, their health and safety and the people they serve," de Blasio told reporters on Monday.