New York City health officials Wednesday announced a new vaccine mandate for workers in K-12 schools. In order to prevent the spread of the flu during winter break, businesses must now allow their workers to get vaccinated.
The disease rate last year was over 4 percent, higher than the statewide average.
Many locals share stories of how working flu outbreaks hurt businesses in New York.
“The evidence suggests that poor compliance of community members with influenza vaccination will result in people at high risk becoming ill,” said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett. “Not complying with the vaccination will cause both a negative social impact and a negative economic impact on the city as we enter the flu season.”
Representatives from New York and small business advocates plan to hold a news conference Friday to discuss the mandate.
You can read the press release in full on WNYC’s website.
You can read Tuesday’s story about how New York City schools failed to implement a flu vaccination mandate for their students here.
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