Mayor Urges Decorated NYPD Cops to Do 'Everything' to Stop COVID

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio told NYPD officers and their families Friday morning that the city must “do everything” in its power to beat back the COVID-19 pandemic, as the deadline for his municipal workforce vaccine mandate loomed hours away.

Speaking at the department’s annual Medal Day ceremony, where officers are decorated for extraordinary acts of bravery, de Blasio didn’t mention his vaccine mandate, which was set to take effect at 5 p.m. Friday.

But the subtext appeared clear as he vowed to spare no expense in fighting the virus, which has killed more than 34,000 New York City residents, including at least 63 members of the NYPD.

“We will do everything we can to stop this scourge,” de Blasio said at Police Academy headquarters in Queens.

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Hizzoner, who received tepid applause upon taking the stage at the ceremony, offered condolences to family members of police officers killed by COVID-19.

“We will remember them and stand by their families,” he said before awarding medals to officers alongside NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea.

Despite the imminent mandate, 21% of NYPD members had yet to get vaccinated as of 8 p.m. Thursday, according to data from City Hall.

Other agencies are even further behind in the vaccination race.

The FDNY had a 69% vaccination rate as of Thursday night, while the Department of Sanitation lagged behind at 67%, the data showed. The Department of Correction, which is the only agency that has until Dec. 1 to comply with the mandate, had a 54% vaccination rate as of the latest reporting window.

Cops, firefighters and other city workers who do not submit proof of vaccination by Friday’s deadline will be suspended without pay first thing Monday.

The mandate has prompted anxiety about mass shortages in the city’s public safety ranks, as some agencies prepare to lose as much as a third of their workforces.

De Blasio has sought to assuage concerns by telling New Yorkers that municipal agencies have developed “exceptional” contingency plans.

“They have a variety of tools available — mandatory overtime, scheduling changes, there’s other options they can turn to address the situation,” de Blasio said Thursday.

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