NYC will reportedly require proof of vaccination for indoor dining
New York City is expected to announce that it will require proof of coronavirus vaccination to dine indoors at restaurants and participate in other indoor activities, according to The New York Times.
The policy is expected to begin this month and is an attempt, according to the Times, to encourage more people to get vaccinated.
Sixty-six percent of New York City adults have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to city data. But when broken down by borough, Brooklyn and the Bronx have yet to reach the 50% fully vaccinated mark.
Just a day previously, Mayor Bill de Blasio held a news conference saying that he recommended fully vaccinated New Yorkers wear masks indoors, but stopped short of mandating it.
"We focused on the research, first and foremost," de Blasio said on Aug. 2. "We wanted to look at what the CDC had put together and determine what made sense based on that. Everything we're doing is based on data and science, but it's also based on strategy."
The mayor has often touted the city's rebound from the coronavirus, which slammed into New York City early in the pandemic and killed thousands. After mounting an early vaccination campaign, the city was declared "fully reopened." However, in response to rising positive cases, de Blasio recently ordered that New York City employees who are unvaccinated would be subject to weekly COVID-19 testing. The city will also roll out a vaccine passport dubbed "Key to NYC Pass," to verify vaccine credentials. It's unclear, at this time, how it will co-exist with New York State's Excelsior Pass.
The news comes as the delta variant of COVID-19 continues to surge. It is believed to be more transmissible and has led to a surge in cases.
Already some private businesses in New York City have required proof of vaccination, including Equinox and SoulCycle.