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NYC ending vaccine mandate for private employers on Nov. 1

New York City will lift its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private employers Nov. 1 but will continue to require its own workers to be inoculated, Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday in another sign of the city’s gradual return to pre-pandemic norms.

Adams, a Democrat, announced the relaxation of private-sector vaccine rules at a City Hall news conference where he got his own updated COVID-19 booster shot and urged others to follow his example.

“I’m thrilled to roll up my sleeve and get boosted and encourage all eligible New Yorkers to do the same,” Adams said.

New York City began requiring almost all private businesses to ban unvaccinated employees from the workplace in December 2021.

Most Broadway theaters stopped requiring proof of vaccination over the summer, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced this month that masks are no longer required on public transportation, including subway trains and stations.

Proof of vaccination will for the time being still be required for municipal workers, including police officers, firefighters and teachers, officials said.

Asked about the differing rules for public and private employees, city Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said, “We’re looking at all of our policies and thinking about a glide path towards normal.”