New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) believes the time for voluntary vaccinations are over.
On Tuesday’s edition of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” de Blasio noted that the individual choice to get vaccinated needs to end — instead, “it’s time for mandates.”
“We tried voluntary. We could not have been more kind and compassionate as a country,” he said, noting the free testing, free vaccines, and incentives offered.
The 60-year-old mayor added that these coercion tactics weren’t enough. Rather, the government needs “to shake people at this point and say c’mon now.”
Not only is de Blasio urging government action to pressure individuals into receiving the jab, but he’s also suggesting private businesses in the city do the same.
“I’m calling upon all New York City employers, including our private hospitals: Move immediately to some form of mandate, whatever the maximum you feel you can do,” de Blasio said on Friday, according to The New York Times.
While San Francisco has already started mandating city employees to be vaccinated, per a separate New York Times article from June, it may not be long until de Blasio forces the "Big Apple" to follow suit.
For de Blasio's "Morning Joe" appearance, watch below: