NEW YORK – The surge in positive COVID cases across New York has caused major staffing shortages due to sick employees within the NYPD and FDNY.
21% of the NYPD was out sick Thursday in what outgoing Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said was the highest level of sick employees he had ever seen. 17% were out a day earlier.
“When you look at March 2020 we peaked at 19.8%, we hit 21% today,” said Shea during a briefing on security for New Year’s Eve festivities in Times Square.
30% of EMS and 17% FDNY were on medical leave.