Sharjah24 – Reuters: New York City's 36,000 police officers now have a simple choice: either get vaccinated against coronavirus or wear masks at all times while on duty.
The department issued the bulletin spelling out the order earlier this week, said Sergeant Edward Riley, an NYPD spokesman. The order came in response to a lagging vaccination rate among NYPD officers at a time when the Delta variant has fueled a surge of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations across the country.
Among New York police officers, the current vaccination rate is about 47%, Riley said in an emailed response to questions. That falls well short of the 68% rate for all adult New Yorkers who are fully vaccinated, according to city data.
"Since vaccinations became available we have encouraged our employees, especially those who have contact with the public, to get vaccinated," Riley said, adding that the order also applies to civilian employees of the department.
All members of the force are required to wear a face covering when interacting with the public, regardless of vaccination status, the order said.
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