The New York City Department of Health has ratified Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi's order that requires Department of Education employees to be vaccinated by Oct. 1. 

This means that nothing has changed. The department just reaffirmed the health commissioner’s decision on a deadline that has already passed but has many teachers and other school employees out of work. 

The decision was not made without pushback. Teachers and those contracted by the Department of Education have been protesting the orders since August. 

A judge temporarily issued an injunction against the mandate that required all DOE employees to get the vaccine shot. 

The hold was thrown out and the ruling was reinstated, with the deadline for those employees to get the shot by Oct. 1. 

Advocates for the mandate argued that it will keep the city’s 1 million students safe from the coronavirus--many of whom are too young and therefore ineligible to get the vaccine. 

The DOE tells News 12 that 96% of its employees have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 shot. 

There have been around 1,000 exemptions granted, with 300 of them short-term and ending in October because those employees have a temporary illness that pushes back their vaccination date. 

News 12 asked the DOE if this decision has put a strain on the school system and has not heard back yet.