NYC Mayor: Proof of vaccination required for indoor dining and gyms
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that indoor dining establishments and gyms will require patrons to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. New York is the first big U.S. city to impose such rules.
Video transcript
BILL DE BLASIO: New York City's starting every time the action. We're setting the pace. And we're going to do that again today with today's announcement.
But let me also talk about the private sector. We've seen leaders in the private sector blaze the trail here. I want to thank the great New York City Entrepreneur Danny Meyer for the announcement he made, regarding his restaurants. I want to thank Equinox and SoulCycle for the decision they made about vaccine mandates.
I want to thank everyone in the Broadway community for the decision they made related to indoor performances. So examples right there-- dining, fitness, performances, where you see leaders in the private sector already saying clearly vaccination is the answer. We need these strong, clear mandates. And we've proven that even with outdoor entertainment, it makes sense.
Our homecoming concerts are going to be amazing. But if you want to go to one of them, you have to be vaccinated. That's a requirement. Climbing this ladder is giving us more and more ability to fight back the Delta variant.
By fighting the Delta variant, we will continue our recovery. And we will ultimately beat COVID. So today I announce a new approach, which we're calling the Key to NYC pass. The key to New York City, when you hear those words, I want you to imagine the notion that because someone's 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 that's going to open up to you. You'll have the key. You can open the door. But if you're unvaccinated, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in many things. That's the point we're trying to get across. It's time for people to see vaccination as literally necessary to living a good and full and healthy life.
The key to NYC pass will be a first-in-the-nation approach. It will require vaccination for workers and customers in indoor dining, in indoor fitness facilities, indoor entertainment facilities. This is going to be a requirement. The only way to patronize these establishments indoors will be if you're vaccinated, at least one dose. The same for folks in terms of work.
They'll need at least one dose. This is crucial because we know that this will encourage more vaccination. We've seen it already.
We've seen the impact of the mandate. We've put in place for city workers already, starting to move people to vaccination. We've obviously seen the positive impact of incentive as well.
