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New York City's vaccine mandate for cops, firefighters and city workers takes hold today, forcing up to 10,000 vital emergency workers into unpaid leave and creating a daunting reality for a city that is already battling escalating crime and violence.  

Thousands of unvaccinated New York City firefighters have called out sick to cling on to their paychecks for as long as they can before the city's mandate forces them on unpaid leave along with an army of cops and EMTS. It's unclear how long they will be able to claim sick pay for but the shortages are already presenting themselves in the city's firehouses. 

Twenty six fire stations were down this weekend due to a lack of staffing and on Monday morning, the President of the FDNY's biggest union warned that 'dozens' more would close today.  

Two thousand firefighters have called out sick over the last week, which allows them to claim pay before being forced on unpaid leave if they refuse to get the vaccine. 

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro lambasted them those who had called out sick, saying in a statement:  'Irresponsible bogus sick leave by some of our members is creating a danger for New Yorkers and their fellow Firefighters. They need to return to work or risk the consequences of their actions.'  

As of Monday morning - when Mayor Bill de Blasio's vaccinate mandate for city workers comes into effect - 91% of the city's 325,000 employees were vaccinated, leaving around 29,000 who aren't. 

Among them are 5,500 NYPD officers, 3,560 firefighters and EMTs, and 1,620 workers from the Department of Sanitation, whose absence on the city's increasingly violent streets will be felt most sorely.   

There are growing fears over how those shortages will play out in 911 response times, officer man-power, EMT and ambulance capabilities and street cleaning.  

'The question everyone's asking: How many more minutes will it take to respond, how many more lives will be lost as a result?' a police officer asked the New York Post.  

24,000 city workers will not be at work on Monday. They include those working in essential roles such as the NYPD and Fire Department along with EMT's

The fire department said Sunday on afternoon that 80% of its employees were vaccinated - 75% of firefighters, 87% of EMTS and 90% of civilian employees

Vaccination rates among city workers have increased over the weekend with more of those in essential services getting vaccinated

De Blasio announced in a tweet that 2,300 more workers got the shot meaning 91 percent of city workers are now vaccinated

Hundreds of city workers protest the COVID-19 vaccine mandate at a rally outside Gracie Mansion in New York last week

'There's a correlation between time and mortality that a lot of people in City Hall don't understand. Unfortunately, the only way they're going to get the message is by seeing the numbers rise and rise. And seeing how crime is already on the rise, they really need to look at their priorities and decide if this is a good idea, and they need to do it soon.' 

On Friday, five police unions signed a sweeping call for de Blasio to quickly implement emergency measures to try to fill the shortages and offset potential chaos.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Congress member for the borough's of Brooklyn and Staten Island said accused the Mayor's Office of misleading the public by saying that no 'firehouses' were closed while failing to add that 'many are operating at half capacity due to offline companies.'

'With less than 48 hours until Mayor de Blasio's arbitrary vaccination deadline for city workers - and following a state judge's refusal to pause the deadline despite the mandate's chaotic rollout - police union leaders are warning New Yorkers that the NYPD brass is completely unprepared for the staffing shortage that will result from the mandate's haphazard implementation,' the joint letter said. 

On Sunday, he claimed the number of workers who have yet to show proof of vaccination is inflated because their exemption requests are still being processed.

'The vast majority of City workers, 91%, stepped up to put the health and safety of their city first and got vaccinated,' de Blasio tweeted. 

Under a city mandate, those who haven't received at least one dose of the vaccine will be put on unpaid leave starting Monday, raising the possibility of shortages of police, fire and EMS workers. New York has more than 300,000 city employees.

The vaccination rates among FDNY and NYPD members have gone up since the Friday deadline passed but there are still more than 8,000 police officers and 3,700 FDNY employees, together with nearly 2,000 sanitation workers, who could be sent home. 

On Saturday, 26 firehouses were reportedly closed across the city because of staff shortages. By Sunday night, 19 were said to be out of action.  

Those showing up for duty on Sunday night were asked to remain at their firehouses until they could be properly staffed. 

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Congress member for the borough's of Brooklyn and Staten Island said accused the Mayor's Office of misleading the public by saying that no 'firehouses' were closed while failing to add that 'many are operating at half capacity due to offline companies.'

New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro also stated that no fire stations had been shut on Sunday night.

'The department has not closed any firehouses.

'Irresponsible bogus sick leave by some of our members is creating a danger for New Yorkers and their fellow Firefighters. They need to return to work or risk the consequences of their actions,' he wrote in a statement.

New York City issues call for firefighters from Long Island and Upstate New York as close to one-third of FDNY staff remain unvaccinated ahead of November 1 deadline 

The Fire Department said fire companies — groups of firefighters composed of specialized teams — open and close regularly but might face more closures than usual. The FDNY was prepared to shut down 20 percent of them while deploying private emergency medical response services to help out

James McCarthy, President of the FDNY-Uniformed Fire Officers Association,speaks to hundreds of city workers at a rally protesting the COVID-19 vaccine mandate outside Gracie Mansion in New York last week

Thousands of city workers, mostly firefighters, gathered outside Gracie Mansion as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's vaccine mandate looms just one day ahead of the deadline

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro denied reports that some firehouses had been closed due to shortages.

'The department has not closed any firehouses,' Nigro said in a statement Sunday morning. 

'Irresponsible bogus sick leave by some of our members is creating a danger for New Yorkers and their fellow firefighters. They need to return to work or risk the consequences of their actions.' 

De Blasio announced in a tweet that 2,300 more workers got the shot meaning 91 percent of city workers are now vaccinated

Those NYPD employees who remain unvaccinated are to be allowed to remain working but only if they apply for medical or religious exemptions, each of which would be reviewed by the NYPD Equal Employment Opportunity Division. 

City officials have been weighing various contingencies to deal with an expected staffing shortfall come Monday. 

The fire department has said it was prepared to close up to 20% of its fire companies and have 20% fewer ambulances in service while also changing schedules, canceling vacations and turning to outside EMS providers to make up for expected staffing shortages.

On Sunday, a message was sent through email as nearly 350 potential volunteer firefighters were tagged.

'Good morning all,' the email read. 'We need to start identifying members of the service who are active volunteer firemen in both Long Island and Upstate counties in anticipation of the impending shortage for the FDNY due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

'On a voluntary only basis operations is looking to have qualified members on standby to backfill firehouses if necessary. 

Hundreds of New York City's firefighters protested De Blasio's vaccine mandate on Friday by taking sick leave

Firefighters rallied outside Mayor Bill de Blasio's residence Gracie Mansion on Thursday to protest his Covid-19 vaccine mandate for all city workers

De Blasio said the sanitation department will move to 12-hour shifts, as opposed to the usual 8-hour shifts, and begin working Sundays to ensure trash doesn't pile up.

Vaccination rates for the city's fire and sanitation departments jumped significantly on Friday as workers rushed to meet the deadline for the mandate and an extra incentive: Workers who got a shot by Friday will receive $500. 

Last week, hundreds of city workers took to the streets to protest. A rally was held outsider of the mayor's official residence at Gracie Mansion.

In protest of the mandate hundreds of New York City firefighters took sick leave on Friday instead of complying with De Blasio's deadline for all city workers to be vaccinated or be placed on unpaid leave. 

Announcing the mandate, Mayor de Blasio issued an ultimatum requiring workers to get at least one COVID shot by 9am Monday morning or be furloughed and be sent home.

Meanwhile, nationwide Covid-related infections and fatalities in the US have dropped to the lowest levels recorded since April 2021.

About 191million Americans have been fully vaccinated - nearly 58 percent of the population

On September 1 America was averaging 49.9 cases per 100,000 but as of Wednesday, this figure has dropped to 21.2 cases per 100,000.