Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced a vaccine mandate, and called on all governors and mayors to do the same in order to avoid more economically damaging shutdowns.

De Blasio appeared on CNN beseeching leaders to follow his lead on vaccine mandates.

“We had experience already with private sector, with as I said, with restaurants and others, indoor entertainment, we had almost no fines. There was a lot of cooperation, our department of health is gonna work with the business sector, we’re gonna come out with specific protocols by December 15th, so that people have time,” de Blasio explained.

“And look, in the end, we know we can’t just sit here and let things get worse. lives are at stake, and the last thing we could possibly allow in this city or in this country, is to go backwards, because that’s a danger. I mean Germany, a very advanced nation, they’re going through those restrictions and shutdowns,” he added.

“Look, my message to every governor, every mayor in America,” de Blasio said, “is get in place some mandates now before it’s too late, because we cannot — people’s livelihoods, people’s lives, we can’t go through more shutdowns and restrictions.”

De Blasio said that his administration was trying to get ahead of a possible surge in coronavirus cases due to the Omicron variant and the winter season. Four cases of micron have been documented in New York City already.

“This omicron variant moves fast, we have to move faster!” said De Blasio.

The vaccine mandate will be enforced in New York City starting Dec. 27, just days before de Blasio leaves the mayor’s office to make way for the next mayor, Eric Adams. De Blasio was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election.

Here’s the video of de Blasio’s comments:

De Blasio defends New York City vaccine mandate www.youtube.com