Bayside Councilwoman And Other Electeds Praise Lax Vax Mandate

BAYSIDE, NY — Bayside Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, among other elected officials in the Common Sense Caucus, thanked Mayor Eric Adams Thursday for easing vaccine mandates for public and private employees and for allowing children to fully participate in sports and afterschool programs.

In the bipartisan joint letter, Paladino and the other electeds thanked the mayor for having an “open door and open mind.”

“There is more work to do, but based on those constructive conversations, we are optimistic that some positive changes to these policies may be forthcoming,” said the joint statement.

This comes on the heels of new Covid-19 omicron boosters becoming available to New Yorkers earlier this month.

"As we continue to battle this pandemic, New Yorkers have been smart, looked out for one another, and taken appropriate steps to protect themselves and their neighbors," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement Thursday. "Getting vaccinated and boosted remains our best shot at protecting ourselves and our fellow New Yorkers, and I encourage everyone eligible to get the updated COVID-19 booster.

“And as the fall approaches, test before gatherings or travel and if you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

The Empire State averaged over 40,500 cases a week in December, but now averages a little less than 1,800 cases a week of Covid-19, according to data from the New York Times.

Despite the decrease in the spread of the coronavirus, people may want to remain vigilant about their health as the governor declared New York in a state of emergency when it comes to polio, as it has been detected in wastewater in several counties, reported Patch on Friday.

“Be sure that your vaccines have occurred, be sure they're updated, and that's our best defense against the spread of polio,” Hochul said last month as cases were on the rise.