New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced an aggressive new strategy to get people vaccinated against Covid-19, confirming that activities like indoor dining and attending gyms will soon be exclusively for the inoculated.
“The only way to patronize these establishments indoors will be if you’re vaccinated,” the mayor announced on Tuesday, citing concerns over the fast-spreading Delta variant.
The requirement will be phased in through August and September and will require patrons entering certain establishments to have had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. This can be proven through either a vaccination card or vaccination apps.
De Blasio did not get into specifics about how the mandate would be enforced. He said the rules will go into effect on August 16, but inspections won’t be carried out until September 13.
The mayor also previously announced that all city employees will soon be required to be vaccinated by September, or they will have to subject themselves to weekly testing.
