New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a press conference in June.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pushing private employers in the state of New York would bring employees back to work in-person by Labor Day.
"Everyone has to be back in the office," Cuomo said at a news conference on Wednesday. "We can do it safely, we can do it smartly."
Moments before, Cuomo had warned about the spread of the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 across the US among unvaccinated people, including in the state of New York.
"The delta variant is real," Cuomo said, noting that the state reported 2,203 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, compared to just 275 cases one month ago.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 57% of people in New York state are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while about 62% have received at least one dose.
While breakthrough cases – ones where fully vaccinated people test positive for COVID-19 – can occur, the vaccines are effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalization.
Cuomo also announced that all state workers will need to either get vaccinated or be tested on a weekly basis.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/cuomo-pushes-private-employers-to-bring-people-back-to-the-office-2021-7