New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a news conference on May 3. Photo: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Private businesses in New York City will no longer be required to enforce COVID-19 vaccines starting Nov. 1, Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: Private employers having more flexibility in their vaccine policies signals a shift into the next chapter of the pandemic, now that around 89% of NYC residents have already received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, per the latest data.
What they're saying: “The new bivalent booster is here, providing better protection against variants we are seeing now and quite likely against variants in the future as well," Adams said in a statement.
- "And with so many tools now more easily accessible to keep New Yorkers safe from COVID-19, the additional flexibility we are announcing for private employers, students, and parents puts the choice back into each of their hands," he added.
- “With updated boosters, we can head into the fall knowing we’re protected against whatever this season has in store,” added Ashwin Vasan, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner, in the same statement.
Adams, who received his own COVID-19 bivalent booster shot Tuesday, also announced the launch of a citywide campaign to promote COVID-19 boosters this fall.
- Print, television, radio and digital ads promoting booster shots will roll out across New York City starting next week.
- New Yorkers can check with their providers or search NYC Vaccine Finder online for locations offering booster shots.