New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio mandated inoculations for a range of indoor venues at a press conference Tuesday morning, requiring proof of vaccinations from employees and customers of indoor eateries, gyms, and entertainment centers.
The order goes into effect Aug. 16, with full enforcement beginning Sept. 13. De Blasio said that the mandate, known as the Key to NYC Pass, would encourage increased immunizations to combat the spread of the delta variant.
“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,” de Blasio said of the Key to NYC Pass.
De Blasio added that the city would begin inspecting businesses for compliance in mid-September,
The mayor’s order comes just a day after de Blasio mandated vaccinations for all of the city’s new hires, requiring them to provide proof of vaccination by their first day of work without the option to get tested regularly instead. De Blasio issued a similar mandate for New York City’s 45,000 health-care workers on July 26, asking them to either verify their immunization status by Aug. 2 or submit weekly negative coronavirus tests.
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