Mayor Adams Launches COVID-19 Booster Campaign, Announces Additional Flexibility For NYC Businesses, Parents

September 20, 2022

Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT8WMM9kajY

Citywide Digital and Print Vaccination Campaign Launches to Encourage New Yorkers to Get Vaccinated and Boosted

NYC Businesses Encouraged to Promote Vaccines, Boosters and Put in Place Own Policies as Private-Sector Mandate Becomes Optional Beginning November 1

Parents Encouraged to Vaccinate, Boost Children Students as Vaccines Becoming Optional for Participation in Sports, Extracurricular Activities Effective Immediately

NEW YORK – As New York City Mayor Eric Adams received his own COVID-19 bivalent booster shot today, he and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan announced the launch of a citywide campaign to promote COVID-19 boosters this fall. In the next week, print, television, radio, and digital ads will go live across New York City promoting booster shots. With the recent rollout of bivalent booster shots by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the new campaign will encourage all eligible New Yorkers to get their booster shot for an added layer of protection for themselves and those around them. In addition to promotion of COVID-19 booster shots, the campaign being launched in the next week will promote other annual vaccinations.

Mayor Adams and DOHMH Commissioner Vasan also, today, announced more flexibility for New York City’s businesses by encouraging private businesses to put in place their own vaccine policies after making the private sector vaccine mandate optional. And as New York City’s students head back to school, the city created more flexibility for parents and encouraged families to ensure their children have their primary and, if eligible, booster shots after making vaccines optional for students who participate in extracurricular activities, including, among other activities, New York City’s Public School Athletic League (PSAL).

“I’m thrilled to roll up my sleeve and get boosted and encourage all eligible New Yorkers to do the same,” said Mayor Adams. “The new bivalent booster is here, providing better protection against variants we are seeing now and quite likely against variants in the future as well. We are launching a new campaign in the next week that encourages all eligible New Yorkers to get their booster shot for an added layer of protection for themselves and those around them. And with so many tools now more easily accessible to keep New Yorkers safe from COVID-19, the additional flexibility we are announcing for private employers, students, and parents puts the choice back into each of their hands. We urge all New Yorkers to make a plan to get vaccinated if they are eligible, and we are grateful to the millions of New Yorkers who have already stepped up to keep themselves and their community safe.”

“While we continue to adapt to the virus with these changes to vaccine mandates for private-sector employees and students participating in sports and extracurricular activities, we must continue doing our part to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “The best way we can do that is to get vaccinated and get boosted. I strongly encourage every New Yorker to reach out to their primary care physician, local pharmacy, or any city-affiliated site to schedule their vaccine or updated booster shot appointment today.”

“As we reach this next important milestone in New York City’s recovery from the pandemic, I want to thank New Yorkers — businesses, individuals, and countless partners — who have done their part to protect themselves and their community by getting vaccinated,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “As we enter this next phase of our recovery and provide more options and flexibility for businesses and their workforce, we would do well to remember that this collective spirit is what got us here and what will enable us to tackle future challenges facing our city.”

“With updated boosters, we can head into the fall knowing we’re protected against whatever this season has in store,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Let’s roll up our sleeves and do our part to protect ourselves, our city, and our communities against COVID.”

“Vaccination is our best defense against infectious disease in schools — from polio to the flu to COVID-19. We encourage everyone who is eligible to get their regular COVID-19 booster shot to keep our defense strong,” said New York City Department of Education Chancellor David C. Banks. “Additionally, we are proud of our work with DOHMH to increase vaccination amongst school-age children in parallel with the increased flexibility for extracurricular activities families will now have.”

“The mayor’s decision to allow individual employers to determine COVID-19 protocols is most welcome,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City. “It will accelerate return to the office and encourage New Yorkers to move beyond the pandemic mentality.”

The private-sector vaccine mandate — along with the city’s additional mandates and incentives — has helped New York City reach high levels of vaccination and kept millions of New Yorkers safe and healthy. New York City continues to strongly urge private employers to put in place their own vaccine mandates, as the city will continue implementation of the city worker vaccination mandate for its own employees.

The updated bivalent COVID-19 boosters are more effective at protecting against the latest variants and are recommended for all New Yorkers ages 12-and-up whose last COVID-19 vaccination was more than two months ago.

New Yorkers can check with their providers to see if they are offering updated boosters or search NYC Vaccine Finder online for locations offering booster shots.