New York Becomes First Major US City to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccination for Most Indoor Activities

New York City will require proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine for both workers and customers to enter restaurants, fitness centers and indoor entertainment venues, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. “If you want to participate in our society fully, you’ve got to get vaccinated. So it’s time, and this is going to send that message clearly,” de Blasio said. De Blasio added that this would be a “first-in-the-nation” approach, coming as several businesses and government agencies are requiring workers to get vaccinated. The title of the plan, the “Key to NYC Pass,” does not refer to a specific document or “vaccine passport,” but rather to the overall program, which de Blasio said would use “the vaccination card or the NYC app or the Excelsior Pass” for proof of vaccination. The mandate goes into effect Aug. 16, and full enforcement begins Sept. 13.

Coverage was more prominently displayed in left- and center-rated outlets, with coverage across the spectrum taking a backseat to coverage of the investigation into New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s reported sexual harassment. Coverage in right-rated outlets was more likely to discuss “vaccine passports,” with at least one article incorrectly saying that the “Key to NYC Pass” was itself a vaccine passport.