All New York City Department of Education employees, including teachers and school staff, must receive at least one dose of the of coronavirus vaccine by Sept. 27, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) announced Monday.
Why it matters: It affects about 148,000 people — including teachers, custodians and office staff — working in the largest U.S. school district. School is set to start Sept. 13.
- Staff will not have the option to submit weekly coronavirus tests in place of getting a vaccine as was the case with previous requirements.
By the numbers: Over the last seven days, the city has reported an average of 1,424 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to city data.
- At least 63% of school employees have been vaccinated, according to AP. That number does not include those who have been vaccinated outside the city.
The big picture:Washington state, California and Chicago have also announced vaccine mandates for educators and school staff.
- The head of the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest teachers' union in the country, said earlier this month that she supported vaccine mandates for school staff.
- New York City last week started requiring people to provide proof of vaccination before being admitted to indoor venues and some small business have sued the city over the order.
Go deeper ...Poll: Most Americans favor mandates