Only 50% Of Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Officers Inoculated With Covid 19 Vaccine Says PSD Chief Brown - NYC Mayor deBlasio Announces NYPD And All City Workers Must Show Proof Of Covid Vaccinaton Or Weekly Negative Test, Will RIOC Do Same For PSD And All Staff?

NYC Mayor Bill deBlasio announced yesterday:

Every City government employee will need to show proof of vaccination or a weekly negative #COVID test by September 13.

We’ve been through too much to let our guard down now. New York City is leading the nation in fighting back against the Delta variant. pic.twitter.com/Vr5pB2gD6h

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) July 27, 2021

Yesterday, I asked the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

Mayor deBlasio announced today that NYC employees will either have to be inoculated with the Covid Vaccine or have weekly testing.

Will RIOC follow the NYC policy regarding Covid Vaccination/testing for RIOC employees? If not, why not?

What percentage of RIOC employees are vaccinated? I understand that 50% of PSD officers are vaccinated?

Please let me know if RIOC will comment.

No answer yet from RIOC.

During the July 20 Roosvelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Pubilc Safety Committee (PSC) meeting, RIOC Public Safety Department (PSD) Chief Kevin Brown reported that one officer recently tested positive for Covid 19 and that only 50% of PSD Officers have received the Covid 19 vaccine. Chief Brown added that he received the Covid 19 vaccine and Deputy Chief Anthony Amoroso has previously said he was vaccinated as well. 

2 officers of the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department died from Covid 19 - Officer Corey Fischer and Detective Wayne Jones. A Roosevelt Island Memorial gathering for both officers will be held in August said Chief Brown during the July 20 PSC meeting.

Mayor Bill de Blasio says 70% of all adults in NYC have gotten the vaccine and 58% of all New Yorkers have gotten at least one shot.

The NYPD lags by 27% compared to the rest of NYC with a 43% vaccination rate among its roughly 54k workforce. pic.twitter.com/SmnK0cvsHC

— Craig McCarthy (@createcraig) July 22, 2021

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea told NY 1' Pat Kiernan that he supports Mayor deBlasoi's mandatory Covid vaccination or weekly testing policy.

This morning, @NYPDShea spoke with @patkiernan on @NY1 about new vaccination and testing mandates for city workers. They also spoke about illegal dirt bikes and ATV's.

Watch the full interview 🔽 pic.twitter.com/bZia0Igpgz

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 27, 2021

According to the NYC Health Department Covid Statistics for Roosevelt Island Zip Code 10044, of an estimated population of 11,571:  

• 8055 residents have at least one dose of vaccination (69.01%)
• 7636 residents fully vaccinated (65.42%)

The most recent 7 Day Covid Testing Data from July 18-24 for Roosevelt Island Zip Code 10044 shows 279 people tested and 2 Positive Case for a rate of 0.72%.

Will RIOC follow the lead of NYC and require Covid vaccinations or weekly negative testing for all employees? 

UPDATE 7/28:

Looking forward to partnering closely with our brothers & sisters in labor on this.

Vaccination or weekly testing will help protect employees' health as the Delta variant spreads.

I encourage all local governments to follow suit.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 28, 2021

UPDATE July 29 - RIOC Public Information Officer Amy Smith reports:

Yesterday, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that all New York State employees—about 130,000 people—will be required to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by Labor Day. State employees who do not get vaccinated will be required to be tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis. New York State is working with state unions to implement the requirement quickly and fairly. As a state agency, Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) will adhere to these requirements as the safety of our employees, partners, and patrons is of the utmost importance to us.