Coronavirus Update NYC: 8 unvaccinated NYPD officers hospitalized with COVID-19, Shea urges shots

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Eight unvaccinated NYPD officers are currently in the hospital with COVID-19, including a 23-year-old who is "fighting for his life," Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a somber video message to the department Friday urging them to get vaccinated.

"Why do I keep coming back to you on this? Because I'm talking to family members, I'm talking to union representatives of multiple ranks, I'm talking to you and your partners when it's too late when you're in the hospital, or you're driving to the hospital, and you have a difficulty breathing," Shea said in the video obtained by Eyewitness News.

Shea revealed Thursday that just 62% of police officers are vaccinated, one of the lowest among city agencies.

"We've had 28,000 people in the NYPD vaccinated. of those people, this is definitive, of those 28,000 people vaccinated, we have about 225 that got positive COVID tests after the fact. Think about how small that number is. Of those 225 people that got a positive COVID test after getting the vaccines, not one of them went to the hospital. That's how strong these vaccines are and that's how you can make a difference right now," Shea said.

On Thursday, Shea told 1010 WINS that the vaccination rate among officers is climbing and he was asked about the high number of officers being seen not wearing face masks.

"To the NYPD members, you've got to. in this day and age, everyone has to be safe and you've got to set the right example," Shea said.

MORE NEWS: NYC schools prepare for possible teacher, staff shortages Monday

Right now, about 10,000 teachers remain unvaccinated, and schools are scrambling to replace them before the deadline.

New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus

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