NEW YORK — New York city’s mayor will announce Thursday that he’s exempting athletes and performers from the city’s vaccine mandate for private workers.

The move will allow Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving to play home games, and let unvaccinated baseball players take the field when their season begins.

According to a person familiar with the upcoming announcement who was not authorized to discuss it publicly,

Mayor Eric Adams will make the announcement Thursday morning.

It will be effective immediately.

The city’s sweeping vaccine mandate for workers will still apply to people with other types of jobs, including government employees.