NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Getting the COVID-19 vaccine means instant access to New York City restaurants and venues, instead of having to stick to a waiting period, Mayor Bill de Blasio emphasized Tuesday.
De Blasio made a play for more people getting the shot through the flexibility of getting into city businesses that require COVID-19 vaccination.
“Really want to go to that restaurant? Do you really want to go to that concert? … You can literally go to that vaccination site, get your first shot, get your card, come right back, go to that restaurant, go to that movie theater, go to that concert. That's how flexible this rule is,” said de Blasio.
That goes against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation of waiting two weeks after getting the final shot (whether that be the first J&J shot or second Moderna and Pfizer shot) before being considered fully vaccinated.
De Blasio said the decision was made with the thinking that a “vast majority” of those who are unvaccinated are willing to get the shot, but just haven’t yet.
“We just want people to get going on vaccination. We know people get the first shot end up getting the second shot as well,” said de Blasio.
The rule of only needing one shot to get into city businesses isn’t brand new, as the city’s website denotes that, “As of August 17, people 12 and older are required to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine” to access indoor dining, entertainment and more. De Blasio's announcement Tuesday appeared to emphasize how quickly residents and visitors can get that access.
New York City is about midway through its soft rollout of the Key to NYC program, which requires many businesses to only allow those who are vaccinated to have access.
On Sept. 13, fines will begin to be issued for businesses that don’t enforce the program.