New York City vaccine requirement will extend to all city workers, Mayor Bill de Blasio says

(CNN) — New York City’s vaccine mandate will extend to all municipal workers, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday.

“It’s a mandate now for all city agencies, all city workers. It’s time for everyone to get vaccinated,” de Blasio told MSNBC on Wednesday morning.

“Our public employees are going to lead us out of the COVID era.”

Starting Wednesday, some 160,500 city employees will get an extra $500 in their paychecks for receiving their first shot at a city-run vaccination site.

“This benefit will end at 5pm on Friday, October 29th, by which point City employees are required to have proof of at least one dose,” the city government’s website said.

“Unvaccinated employees will be placed on unpaid leave until they show proof of vaccination to their supervisor.”

Prior to de Blasio’s announcement, all New York City public school teachers and other educational staff were required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

New York City’s health care workers were already required to get vaccinated under the state’s vaccination mandate.

Other city workers either had to be vaccinated or get tested weekly.