Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that New York City will become the first city in the nation to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter all indoor restaurants, entertainment venues, gyms and certain other indoor settings.
“It’s time for people to see vaccination as necessary to living a good and full and healthy life,” de Blasio said in his daily press briefing.
“This is crucial, because we know that this will encourage a lot more vaccination,” the Democrat said.
Touting the “Key to NYC Pass,” de Blasio said the “only way to patronize these businesses indoors is if you’re vaccinated.”
Enforcement will begin Sept. 13 after a public service announcement campaign.
“If you want to participate in society fully, you’ve got to get vaccinated,” he said.
Reacting to the news Tuesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Republicans “have been warning against vaccine passports for months.”
“Leave it to New York Democrats to lead such a blatant abuse of power,” he wrote on Twitter.
“Vaccine passports are un-American. Period. Republicans will oppose any attempt to expand such a disastrous policy,” McCarthy said.
Republicans have been warning against vaccine passports for months. Leave it to New York Democrats to lead such a blatant abuse of power.
Vaccine passports are un-American. Period. Republicans will oppose any attempt to expand such a disastrous policy.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) August 3, 2021
The New York City program, which is modeled after vaccine passport programs in Europe, will require customers to show either the state’s “Excelsior Pass,” the city’s new vaccine pass or the Centers for Disease Control’s paper vaccine card, the New York Post reported.
Last month, de Blasio mandated that the city’s workforce be vaccinated or receive a weekly coronavirus test.
BREAKING: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announces first-in-the-nation policy requiring COVID vaccination for indoor activities like restaurants, fitness and entertainment. It will be phased in through August and enforcement officially begins September 13 https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/SHPeIPFLT5
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 3, 2021
France’s parliament on Monday passed a law requiring a “health pass” demonstrating proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test to enter restaurants and bars and to travel on long-distance trains and planes.
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