Topline
National data shows the impact that mandates from major cities have had on the inoculation rate of workers.
Chicago's top police union head compared Chicago's vaccine mandate with the Holocaust. AFP via Getty Images
The Key Facts
San Francisco became the first major city in the country to mandate vaccinations for all its workers. The immunization rate of city workers jumped from 55% to 94% last week after it was announced that San Francisco would be the first city to do so. When the mandate was made, the vaccination rate for Walnut Creek city workers was 65%. However, it has since increased to 86%. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose saw an identical increase of 84% to 93%. There is a huge difference in inoculation rates between agencies in New York City that require their workers to have their shots and those who don't. New York City's public schools educators and healthcare workers were told that they would have to be jabbed or lose work. This has led to 95% of teachers in the city and 93% of nurses and hospital workers being immunized. However, vaccination rates for agencies that are not subject to a mandate such as firefighters (59%), police officers (68%), and EMS workers (60%) are well below the city average.
Big Number:
49%. According to data provided by the mayor's office, this is the percentage of NYC Department of Corrections employees that have had their shots as of last week.
The Key Background
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio refused to confirm whether NYPD officers would need to be vaccinated until last week. The largest police union in the city, the Police Benevolent Association (PBA), informed its members that it would sue for cops who were required to have the Covid-19 vaccine. Patrick Lynch, president of the PBA, wrote that if the City tried to impose a vaccine requirement on PBA members, he would take legal action to protect our members' rights to make such personal medical choices. De Blasio indicated that he might consider mandating vaccines for city officers during a radio interview last Friday. He stated that his office was looking at "all options". Mayor de Blasio stated that he would address "additional measures" for city employees in the near future, while officials conducted a "meticulous analysis" of the next step that made sense. The local police union and Mayor Lori Lightfoot have clashed in Chicago over vaccine mandates. Chicago's most powerful police union has compared the mandate with the Holocaust. "We're in America, G-ddamn it. We don't want any kind of forced obedience. No. This isn't Nazi Germany. John Catanzara of Fraternal Order Of Police, President, said that the pills wouldn't hurt him. He later regretted his comments.
Tangent:
Fraternal Order of Police is a national police union that represents 356,000 officers. It estimates that over 720 officers have died of Covid-19 since the pandemic started.
What to Watch Out For
Los Angeles has mandated that all city workers be vaccinated before October 20th. This means LAPD officers will have less than 10 days to receive their required vaccinations. Only 60% of officers were immunized as of last week. William Briggs of the Los Angeles Police Commission claims that officers "taking a tough line" and refusing vaccinations. Six officers sued Los Angeles in federal court. Briggs stated to Rolling Stone that the city was in negotiations with unions regarding acceptable excuses under exemptions.
Important Quote
When asked about vaccine mandates for city workers, de Blasio stated that "these mandates work" and said that they were going to review the matter in the coming days.
Additional Reading:
NYPD's largest police union has vowed to sue for possible Covid vaccine mandate (NY Post).
These NYC City Workers are the least vaccinated against Covid (Patch.com).
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