2,300 NYC firefighters call out sick as vaccine mandate begins, but mayor says public safety not disrupted

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/01/us/new-york-city-vaccine-mandate-first-responder-shortage/index.html 

Hundreds of New York City firefighters called in sick Monday morning as the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for municipal employees went into effect, bringing the total number of sickouts in the fire department to 2,300, FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said at a news conference.

 FDNY-Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro said he doesn't know how many firefighters would not be permitted to work Monday morning due to still being unvaccinated, stating the FDNY does not share those numbers with them.

Ansbro said the vaccine mandate is "causing an exodus" of firefighters from the department and the remaining firefighters are "going to have to work to the breaking point" to make up for the staffing shortages. Ansbro maintained their union is "not anti-vaccine, we are anti-mandate."