New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that city residents will have to show proof that they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 before entering indoor dining, fitness, and entertaining public venues.
Speaking at the press conference on Tuesday, the Democratic mayor said the vaccination against COVID-19 is the answer to returning to “normal life,” for which “strong and clear mandates” are needed, as he thanked the businesses that started to require their patrons to show proof of vaccination to enter their premises. Those “great” businesses distinguished by de Blasio were Union Square Hospitality Group, Broadway theaters, and Equinox and its SoulCycle spinning studios.
New York City will create a health pass called the “Key to NYC Pass,” which will “provide proof of vaccination required for workers and customers at indoor dining, gyms, entertainment and performances,” de Blasio announced.
“The Key to New York City,” said de Blasio, smiling, “When you hear these words, I want you to imagine the notion that because someone is vaccinated, they can do all the amazing things that are available in this city. This is a miraculous place literally full of wonders, and if you’re vaccinated, all of this is going to open up to you, you have the key.” Those who refuse to inject themselves with experimental gene therapy, however, will be deprived from enjoying many of the “wonders” of the Big Apple, and “that’s the point we’re trying to get across,” stressed the mayor. “If you’re unvaccinated, there are going to be fewer and fewer things that you’re able to do.” “At least one dose” would qualify a recipient to dine out or work out in a gym or work there. He noted that people will be able to confirm their vaccination status by showing a COVID-19 vaccination card, the NYC COVID Safe App, or the Excelsior Pass app.
The mayor did not get into specifics about how the mandate would be enforced, but noted the policy will be finalized in the week of August 16, when new rules will go into effect. The city will spend over a month “educating people,” per the mayor, specifically communicating with businesses to detail the implementation of the policy, including whether children younger than 12 years old with vaccinated parents will be allowed to dine indoors. Additionally, the mayor said the city is examining expanding the vaccine-proof requirement to other indoor activities, such as shopping. The inspections and enforcement won’t be carried out until September 13.
“Not everyone is going to agree with this, I understand that,” de Blasio said. “But for so many people, this is going to be a lifesaving act, that we are putting a mandate in place that is going to guarantee a much higher level of vaccination in this city. And that is the key to protecting people, and the key to our recovery.”
The program is modeled after the vaccine passport programs rolled out in France and other European countries, officials said during the press conference. But, unlike the latter, New York will not provide its residents the option to show a negative COVID-19 test or presence of antibodies that occurred as a result of previous infection.
Mayor de Blasio has been moving aggressively to get more New Yorkers vaccinated, as he recently admitted that a “purely voluntary system [of vaccination] has reached its limits” despite the enormous effort city officials have put forth to incentivize New Yorkers to get the jab, and he called on private hospitals and other businesses to introduce “some kind” of vaccine mandate for their employees. Many representatives of the New York entrepreneurial community, however, expressed reluctance in “policing their workers’ vaccination status,” often out of fear of legal complexities and liability, while saying it is the federal government’s responsibility to introduce such measures.
On June 21, de Blasio set a requirement for healthcare workers to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. He hoped this would be “burdensome” for people, and that they would cave in to getting a COVID-19 jab. On June 26, the requirement was expanded to roughly 340,000 city workers, including police, firefighters, and teachers.
On Monday, the mayor hinted at the Big Apple moving toward a “reality” in which those who do not get vaccinated are barred from certain settings.
Also on Monday, Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo urged private businesses in the state to adopt a “vaccine-only admission” and allow entry exclusively to patrons that verify their vaccination status, while announcing a Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Port Authority workers will have to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing.
About 55 percent of adults in New York City are fully vaccinated, according to city data, although pockets of the city have lower rates.
