The largest police union in the Big Apple is suing New York City over its vaccine mandate for the police force.
Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the vax mandate for city workers last week.
The police union is also asking a judge to permit officers who are unvaccinated to continue working their jobs while the suit works its way through the court system.
Related: As Vax Mandates Spread, a ‘Let the People Decide’ Movement Spreads as Well
The NYC Police Benevolent Association (PBA) said on Monday, Oct. 25, that it filed a lawsuit asking that the vax mandate be overturned. It also filed a request for a temporary restraining order to prevent the city and the New York Police Department (NYPD) from implementing the mandate while the suit is being heard, the Daily Caller reported.
PBA President Patrick Lynch said New York City had failed to provide guidance on how the vax mandate would be rolled out. He called the mandate “irrational.”
Last week, de Blasio said that all city municipal workers—including police—must get their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccination by Oct. 29. Otherwise, they risk being placed on leave with no pay.
But GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida had his own response to the vax mandates.
During an interview this past Sunday morning with Maria Bartiromo of Fox News, DeSantis said he’s planning to sign legislation that will give a $5,000 bonus to any law enforcement personnel who relocate to Florida.
https://twitter.com/MariaBartiromo/status/1452320239581081602
DeSantis said of law enforcement personnel in New York City, Minneapolis and Seattle who may be facing unfair treatment and vax mandates, “If you’re not being treated well [there], we’ll treat you better here—and you can fill important needs for us, and we’ll compensate you as a result,” as the Caller also noted.
DeSantis also said of the COVID-19 vaccine, “[It’s] a choice you can make, but we want to make sure we’re protecting your jobs and your livelihoods.”
On Tuesday of this week, meanwhile, an advisory panel from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) OK’d the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-11.
The advisory panel made its decision after a review of data released last week by Pfizer showing that a child-sized, two-dose regimen of the vaccine is apparently safe and 90.7 percent effective against symptomatic illness from the virus in kids ages 5 to 11 years old, as several outlets reported.
All of this sets the stage for kids potentially to begin getting the COVID-19 vaccine in early November, as The New York Post reported.
The FDA will now consider giving its formal approval of the jab.
If that occurs (as expected), a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panel will take it up and presumably recommend it to the full CDC. And if that body approves it, then the shot may be available to children in the first two weeks of November.
Children ages 5 to 11 represent some 9 percent of all reported coronavirus cases in the country.
That’s according to data presented to the FDA advisory panel on Tuesday, The Post noted.
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—By CNJ Staff