New York City residents chanted “No Vaccine Mandates” in a protest that shut down the Brooklyn Bridge after the highly contentious COVID-19 vaccine requirements for teachers went into effect.
Estimates show that nearly 8,000 out of all 148,000 DOE employees, 3,000 out of 78,000 teachers were unvaccinated, according to CBSNewYork.
Many of these New Yorkers were waving Australian flags in solidarity with those protesting the mandates and lockdowns in Australia. Australian protests first broke out over three months ago amid intensified Covid-19 restrictions.
One of the protesters, Stefanie Deliteris told CBSNewYork, “I refused to get vaccinated.”
She went on to explain, “My husband is a custodian and we have both lost our jobs. He has worked through the entire pandemic, cleaning every single COVID room,” she said. “Now we’re both out of work. We were essential last year and now we’re just zeroes this year.”
Another protestor, a teacher, told CBS “I feel very insulted. Over seven years, I’ve been working as a teacher and I really love my job. I didn’t want to leave and I’m being forced to leave because of my choice,” said Michellene Barrett.
New York City has not just required teachers to get vaccinated, but it has also required health workers to get the jab as well.
These healthcare workers are also required to get the vaccine after a mandate from Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., required them to get it by late September. Nearly 50,000 remain unvaccinated and could lose their jobs across the state. Not only are these people losing their job, but patients are losing their caretakers.
A shortage of healthcare workers has resulted from the recent requirements to get the vaccine and most healthcare companies cannot keep up with replacing those who are unvaccinated with vaccinated workers. Kathy Febraio the President of the New York Association of Health Care Providers told the New York Post that agencies are “prioritizing their highest-risk patients” and “shifting caseloads to accommodate as many of their patients as possible.”
Residents are also required to be vaccinated in order to enter most indoor facilities.
In August, NYC required those that were 12 years of age or older to show proof that they had at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Then in their grand reopening of the city, officials implemented a vaccine credentialing system called “Key to NYC” a program requiring patrons to show businesses their vaccine passports.
There were many ways that residents could show these health records, a CDC vaccination card, NYC vaccination card, or a few other options. One way that NYC residents are able to show proof of the vaccine even includes an app that has the digital record of the resident’s vaccination status.
Thousands of jobs hang in the balance across the country as more mandates are being put in place.
