You'll Need Proof of a COVID-19 Vaccine to Enter Many NYC Indoor Venues
If you want to dine indoors, go to a gym or attend an event at an entertainment venue in New York, you'll need to show proof that you have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Starting on September 13, New York will begin enforcing its vaccine mandate for various indoor venues. The rules extend to include workers at these facilities as well.
"The business has gone down at least 35 to 40 percent, and we expect it to go down a little more," said Pedro Zamora, owner of Cantina Rooftop in Manhattan. "But on the other hand, I feel good to do that because it's the way to end the pandemic, and I urge everyone if you aren't vaccinated to get vaccinated as soon as possible because it's only for the good of our community."
If businesses are found not to be compliant, they can be fined $1000 for a first offense, with increasing penalties if they continue to break the rules.
New York has some of the strictest vaccine mandates in the United States. Mayor Bill de Blasio also requires city workers to be vaccinated or to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. Students 12 and up who participate in "high-risk" after-school activities, like sports or performing arts, also must be vaccinated.
FILE - CNN anchors Kaitlan Collins, from left, Don Lemon and Poppy Harlow appear at the 16th annual CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute on Dec. 11, 2022, in New York.
(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Bruce Willis attends a movie premiere in New York on Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. Nearly a year after Bruce Willis’ family announced that he would step away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, his family says his “condition has progressed.” In a statement posted Thursday, the 67-year-old actor’s family said Willis has a more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)