New York City will require workers and patrons at indoor businesses to show proof of vaccination starting on Sept. 13, becoming the first major US city to take such action amid a surge of new cases nationwide driven by the highly transmissible delta variant.
The new mandate announced Tuesday, dubbed the “Key to NYC Pass,” will apply to indoor dining, gyms and entertainment venues.
“The Key to New York City. When you hear those words, I want you to imagine the notion that because someone’s vaccinated
“But if you’re unvaccinated, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in many things,” he added.
City officials plan to spend the next few weeks soliciting feedback on the policy before launching it on Aug. 16. They will then educate businesses and the public about the new requirement before starting to enforce it come Sept. 13.
People will be able to confirm they are vaccinated by showing their vaccine card. New Yorkers will also be able to show proof of inoculation using the city’s NYC COVID SAFE App or New York state’s Excelsior Pass.
City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said the city would take into consideration how the policy would affect children under age 12 who are not yet approved for the vaccine. “As with any policy of this type, there will have to be some reasonable accommodations made, and so that will be part of the discussion there,” Chokshi added.
