NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Mayor Bill de Blasio has signed an executive order for New York City's vaccine passport program to start Tuesday, a day later than many expected.
Under the program, all individuals, including workers, will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter restaurants, bars, gyms, performance spaces, movie theaters and other indoor venues all across the five boroughs.
Here is the full list of businesses that will require vaccine proof:
Acceptable forms of proof include a CDC-issued vaccination card, the New York State Excelsior Pass, and the NYC COVID Safe App.
There are limited exemptions listed in the order. The following people will not be required to show proof of vaccination as long as they wear face masks when social distancing is not possible at the indoor establishment:
• Individuals entering for a quick and limited purpose (for example, using the restroom, placing or picking up an order or service, changing clothes in a locker room, or performing necessary repairs);
• A nonresident performing artist not regularly employed by the covered entity while they are in a covered premises for purposes of performing;
• A nonresident professional athlete/sports team who enters a covered premises as part of their regular employment for purposes of competing; and
• A nonresident individual accompanying a performing artist or professional athlete/sports team into a covered premises as part of their regular employment so long as the performing artist or professional athlete/sports team are performing or competing in the covered premises.
According to the order, any person or business that fails to comply with the mandate faces a fine of up to $1,000 for the first offense. Fines increase to $2,000 and $5,000 for repeat violations.
De Blasio hopes the "Key to NYC" initiative will motivate the unvaccinated to get the shot and help contain the spread of the highly-contagious delta variant.
"We know that this going to reach hundreds of thousands of people, convince them it's time, again particularly young folks, and we know one of the biggest reasons this is going to work is that New Yorkers we love our arts, our culture, entertainment, restaurants, we love all these things, they're a part of who we are, knowing that the way you connect with these things is through vaccination is going to move people to get vaccinated," de Blasio said during his daily briefing Monday.
There will be a grace period, with full enforcement beginning Sept. 13.
De Blasio said that enforcement will be done by a variety of agencies.
The city has launched a canvassing effort to spread awareness at businesses in every ZIP code to help New Yorkers understand how the vaccine passport program will work.
More information is also available at nyc.gov/keytonyc.
More than 50 businesses started requiring proof of vaccination last week before the mandate began.
"This what we're doing now, we're going to use this tool to fight the delta variant, we're going to watch literally every day with our health care leadership what other adjustments we need to make, a lot of other options are on the table but this is the one we're focusing on now," de Blasio said. "We think it's going to make a big, big impact and we're going to get out there and educate people and we're going to remind people that we really want people to take this seriously."
According to the executive order, 56% of city residents are fully vaccinated and 62% of residents have received at least one dose.
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