New York City will require proof of vaccination for workers and customers at indoor restaurants, gyms and entertainment venues, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, Bloomberg News reported. De Blasio announced the “Key to NYC Pass,” what he said is a first-in-the-U.S. requirement for employees and indoor venue-goers. The policy, enacted via mayoral executive order and a health department order, will be launched Aug. 16 and phased in, with enforcement beginning Sept. 13. “Not everyone’s going to agree with this, I understand this,” de Blasio said Monday at a virus briefing. “But for so many people, this is going to be a lifesaving act.” De Blasio said he hoped his requirement would be a model for the nation. He was joined virtually at his briefing by national health experts, including former White House COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt. The move by de Blasio is the latest step to encourage New Yorkers to get vaccinated. The mayor is requiring city workers to get COVID-19 shots or be tested weekly, while all new hires by the city must be inoculated.
