Mask continuity or vaccine the dilemma of police officers in New York

The 36,000 New York City police officers now have two options: either to be vaccinated against coronavirus or to wear masks all the time while on duty.

The police department of the American big city issued the newsletter, which includes the order, earlier this week, said Chief of Staff Edward Riley, a spokesman for the NYPD. The order was issued in response to the fact that New York City police have lagged behind in vaccinations, at a time when the Delta variant is fueling the rise of Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations across the country.

Among New York police officers, the vaccination rate is about 47%, Riley said in response to emails from Reuters. That’s up from 68 percent of all New Yorkers who have been fully vaccinated, according to city data.

«From the moment vaccinations became available, we encouraged our employees, especially those who come into contact with the public, to be vaccinated“, Riley stressed, adding that the order also concerns the political employees of the police departments.

All body parts must wear a mask when in contact with the public, regardless of their vaccination status, according to the order.

Several police officers, all without masks, were seen patrolling outside a police station in Manhattan’s Haarlem neighborhood. They did not want to answer a Reuters question about their thoughts on the order.

The New York Police Newsletter states that “Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against unvaccinated members who are found not to wear a mask when required». However, he did not mention specific sanctions.

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