Residents across New York City’s Five Boroughs are bracing for fallout Friday as Mayor Bill de Blasio’s vaccine mandate goes into effect, with some officials warning of 20% fewer police officers, fire fighters, EMTs, and other first responders.
“This will be a death sentence for some,” said Andrew Ansbro, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association.
“I think it’s extraordinarily short sighted to take people he just had a ticker tape parade for a few short months ago and cast them aside,” added retired FDNY member Kieran Burke.
De Blasio remains defiant.
“I’m assuming it’s related to people expressing their views on this new mandate,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said during Thursday’s protest. “You want to protest, go protest. But when you’re on the clock, you have to do your job.”
Latest records show 28% of the NYPD remains unvaccinated, a percentage that's even higher for the FDNY.
The official deadline for public employees to receive their first injection is 5PM Friday, but NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea will give police officers the weekend to get vaccinated.
Read the full report at CBS New York.
