Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chancellor Meisha Ross Porter and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew reminded Department of Education employees Monday that the vaccine mandate is in effect.

From Friday to today, the number of staffers vaccinated jumped from 93% to 95% of all full-time DOE employees, according to de Blasio. Additionally, 96% of all teachers are vaccinated and 99% of all principals are vaccinated.

Mulgrew spoke out today saying a clear plan is in place and that schools are in much better shape today than they would have been last week when the mandate was originally supposed to be in place. He and Porter say any staff member can get the shot and go back to work in person the next day, but the schools also have plans in place to fill vacancies if they should arise.

"We are under 4,000 people who aren't vaccinated. At any time that they get vaccinated, they can go back to work the next day," Mulgrew said.

"We are prepared for this moment and have thousands of vaccinated subs and are working to ensure and support instruction," Porter adds.

In every public school in the city, all adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and every school is offering both first and second doses of the vaccine for both staff members and students 12 and older. They are hoping this will stop the spread.

Despite seemingly high numbers of vaccinated employees and vaccinated substitutes, the United Federation of Teachers says that staffing will still be an issue, citing that “only about one-third” of UFT chapter leaders believe that “their schools can open without disruption”.

Later today, some New York City teachers plan to march against the mandate starting at the Brooklyn DOE.