New York City Is Starting a New Program That Requires Vaccines for Gyms and Indoor Dining

New York City is set to start requiring proof of vaccination for individuals who work out at gyms and dine indoors at restaurants. This includes customers as well as employees and is Mayor Bill de Blasio’s latest move to encourage more people to get their COVID-19 vaccines.

A health pass called the “Key to NYC Pass” will be required to enter indoor facilities like gyms, restaurants, and entertainment and performance venues. France has implemented a similar program, and according to the New York Times, the announcement prompted millions of people to book vaccine appointments.

Mayor de Blasio hopes New Yorkers will continue to get vaccinated in order to avoid a third wave of COVID-19 and to safely enjoy city life, he explained in an interview with NY1.

“We think it is so important to make clear that if you are vaccinated, you get to benefit in all sorts of ways. You get to live a better life. Besides your health in general, you get to participate in many, many things,” he said: “And if you’re unvaccinated, there are going to be fewer and fewer things that you’re able to do.”

The program will begin later this month and will be enforced mid-September when schools and offices begin to open back up in Manhattan. For the time being, outdoor dining is still OK with no proof of vaccination. For indoor diners in New York City, the Excelsior app is accepted as vaccine proof.

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