By Gregg McQueen
A federal appeals court has ruled that a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for teachers and other workers in New York City public schools can go into effect.
On Mon, Sept. 27, a three-judge panel from the Second U.S. Court of Appeals lifted a temporary injunction on the mandate, which was slated to go into effect that evening.
The ruling effectively greenlights the de Blasio administration’s edict that all workers in Department of Education (DOE) settings must receive a Covid-19 vaccine.
“Federal appeals exhausted, done. The mandate moves forward,” de Blasio said during an appearance on NY1 on Monday night.
De Blasio said that teachers would have until 5:00 p.m. on Fri., Oct. 1 to comply and would not be paid beginning the following Monday if they failed to get the shot.
“If you have not gotten that first dose by Friday 5:00, we will assume you are not coming to work on Monday, and you will not be paid starting Monday, and we will fill your role with a substitute or an alternative employee,” de Blasio said.
Teachers were actively seeking the vaccine in advance of the mandate, he said, pointing out that 7,000 public school employees were vaccinated in the days before the mandate was due to go into effect on September 27.
“Mandates work,” de Blasio said. “It’s causing them to get vaccinated, and that’s good for New York City.”
Read more: Vaccine mandate for city teachers can proceed: federal court | Bronx Free Press
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