New York City residents hopeful that new Mayor Eric Adams would usher in an era free from his predecessor Bill de Blasio were disappointed as the new leader announced day-one executive orders furthering the former mayor’s restrictive coronavirus policies.
Adams released two signed orders on Saturday that will continue state of emergency regulations put in place under the previous administration - including mandating vaccination for private-sector employees - and extend proof of vaccination requirements.
Critics lashed out on Twitter, dubbing the new mayor "de Blasio 2.0" while airing their disappointment in the apparent lack of change and his building on an unpopular legacy.
ERIC ADAMS SAYS NYC'S GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ‘DYSFUNCTIONAL FOR FAR TOO LONG’ IN FIRST SPEECH AS MAYOR
New York College Republicans tweeted that Adams is an "enemy of the people."
The Committee to Unleash Prosperity president Phil Kerpen called the mayor’s first act an "embarrassing extension of manifest failure."
Adams joined ABC’s "This Week" on Sunday and addressed the possibility of mandating vaccinations for city workers next, depending on COVID-19 numbers.
"That's our next move and decision," he said. "We're going to examine the numbers. If we feel we have to get to the place of making that mandatory, we're going to do that. But we're encouraging them to do it now."
The mayor shared a message with the unvaccinated, pressing that the U.S. cannot spend another $11 trillion on COVID relief as variants come and go.
"We have to figure out how do we adjust?" he asked. "And I say to those who are not vaccinated, stop it. It's time to get vaccinated."
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But Adams also mentioned his intentions to keep New York City open, as long as it’s done the "smart" way.
"If we close down our city, it is as dangerous as COVID," he said. "That's what our focus must be. So that proper balance of safety, keeping our economy operating is going to allow us to get through."