Starting next month, New York City will require proof of vaccination for people participating in many indoor activities, including attending concerts.
The New York Times reports that the policy will go into effect in the middle of September. To enter indoor venues, including concert venues, individuals must show their vaccine status using either the city’s new Key to NYC Pass app, the state’s Excelsior app, or a paper card. A negative COVID test will not be accepted as an alternative to entry.
New York City is the first major American city to institute such a policy, though similar mandates have been enacted in countries like France.
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“We think it is so important to make clear that if you are vaccinated, you get to benefit in all sorts of ways,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday in an interview on NY1. “You get to live a better life. Besides your health in general, you get to participate in many, many things. And if you’re unvaccinated, they are going to be fewer and fewer things that you’re able to do.”
The city is expected to provide more specific details on the policy during a press conference on Tuesday.
Prior to today’s announcement, Broadway had announced that it would require all audience members to be vaccinated and wear a mask for the duration of performances.
Editor’s Note: It’s time to mask back up. Consider grabbing a face covering from Consequence Shop, where we donate a portion of all proceeds to independent artists impacted by the pandemic.