NYC First City To Require Proof Of Vaccination If You Want To Eat Indoors

New York City to implement new vaccine laws to enter indoor businesses later this month

As the Delta variant makes its way through the U.S. causing another wave of deadly COVID-19 infections, every city, county, and state is basically left to their own devices when it comes to COVID-19 precautions. Some counties have mask mandates again, other states won’t even let schools enforce mask-wearing (looking at you Florida), and some restaurants and bars have started to ask customers to show proof of vaccination if they want to enter. New York City has taken it a step forward and now will become the first U.S. city to require proof of at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine if you want to eat indoors, go to a gym, or see a show, and it’s about damn time.

Per The New York Times, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the news Tuesday morning and the new proof-of-vaccine mandate is set to begin on August 16, 2021, with true enforcement starting September 13, 2021, to give businesses a chance to accommodate it.

The proof-of-vaccine mandate is being called the “Key to NYC Pass.”

Basically, businesses and venues will require proof of vaccination for workers and customers at indoor dining, gyms, movie theaters, indoor concerts, and basically any enclosed entertainment and performance venues, which obviously include Broadway.

To enter these spaces, customers can reportedly use the already established Excelsior Pass, which is basically a digital copy of your vaccine card (if you were vaccinated in New York state), the new app they are developing called NYC Covid Safe, or just show your CDC card.

Weirdly, people can continue to eat outdoors without showing their vaccine card and you only have to get one dose of any vaccine to enter a venue, which is odd. Also, neither the city nor the state has reinstated the mask mandate, it’s just this vaccine mandate at the time, though the assumption is that the new vaccine mandate (without any accompanying mask rules) will encourage people to get the shot.

“If you want to participate in our society fully, you’ve got to get vaccinated,” de Blasio said at a news conference. “It’s time.”

“This is going to be a requirement,” he added. “The only way to patronize these establishments is if you are vaccinated, at least one dose. The same for folks in terms of work, they will need at least one dose,” he said, holding up a single finger.

The mayor said they’re still working out how to handle children under 12, who are still not eligible to be vaccinated.

The most interesting thing about this new mandate is that you must show proof of vaccination to enter the various indoor establishments, you cannot show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

Oh and for the #freedumb crowd who will undoubtedly claim that this is illegal, the mayor said the city consulted with the U.S. Department of Justice and got a “very clear message” that it was legal to move forward with these mandates.

Happy vax summer New York City!