NYC to Expand COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates to Children

December 6, 2021 by Brock Blasdell
NYC to Expand COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates to Children
Mayor Bill de Blasio delivers remarks ahead of the first COVID-19 vaccinations at NYU-Langone Hospital on Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen).

NEW YORK — Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday that, in an effort to combat the omicron variant, children aged 5-11 will soon be required to present proof of at least one COVID-19 vaccination before they can enter any private indoor business within New York City. 

The new requirement, which starts Dec. 14, will act as an expansion to the Key to NYC vaccination program, which began enforcement in September and required anyone over the age of 12 to show proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before they could enter most indoor businesses. 

“New York City will not give a single inch in the fight against COVID-19. Vaccination is the way out of this pandemic, and these are bold, first-in-the-nation measures to encourage New Yorkers to keep themselves and their communities safe,” said de Blasio in a statement to the press.

In addition to requiring at least one vaccination for children aged 5-11, the program will now also expand vaccine requirements to full vaccination for anyone over the age of 12 starting Dec. 27. 

“Vaccination is the best tool we have to keep New Yorkers healthy and ensure a robust economic recovery for all. These important measures will help to broaden the coverage of the vaccines even further,” said Vicki Been, the deputy mayor for New York City’s Department of Housing and Economic Development.

Acceptable proof of vaccination includes a printed vaccination card issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the digitized New York State Excelsior Pass and employee-centered CLEAR Health Pass, and the NYC COVID Safe app.

The addition of young children to the Key to NYC program comes just one month after a similar vaccination mandate on all city officials and employees by de Blasio, and a CDC recommendation for the vaccination of children within the same age range.

Enforcing the near-total vaccination mandate means New York City officials will have to work directly with businesses — some of which may not be compliant. 

“We’re going to work with the business community. We’ve seen a lot of cooperation so far,” de Blasio said during the announcement. “There were a few times where we had to penalize people, but it was rare.”

Mayor de Blasio also encouraged other mayors, governors and private business leaders across the nation to “use these vaccine mandates” to force employees to get vaccinated. 

“The more universal they are, the more likely employees will say, ‘Okay, it’s time. I’m going to do this,’” de Blasio said during the announcement. “Because you can’t jump from one industry to another, or one company to another.

“It’s something that needs to be universal to protect all of us,” he continued. 

The city has advertised citizens call 311 and provide information about any business that may not be following the new vaccine mandates. 

As of Dec. 6, the CDC has reported 49,002,475 cases of COVID-19 within the United States — the highest globally. Additionally, 2.1% of children within the United States have received at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccination.

Despite this measure being taken to combat the omicron variant, the CDC states that the delta variant continues to be the main strain of concern to the United States

NYC businesses that will be required to check the vaccination status of children:

  • Indoor dining: Includes restaurants, catering halls, hotel banquet rooms, bars, nightclubs, cafeterias, coffee shops, fast food restaurants, grocery stores with indoor dining and other indoor dining spaces.
  • Indoor fitness: Includes gyms, fitness centers, fitness classes, pools, dance studios and other indoor fitness studios, such as yoga or Pilates.
  • Indoor entertainment and meeting spaces: Includes movie theaters, music and concert venues, museums, aquariums and zoos, professional sports arenas, indoor stadiums, convention centers, exhibition halls, hotel meeting and event spaces, performing arts theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, pool and billiard halls, recreational game centers, adult entertainment and indoor play areas.

Brock can be reached at [email protected]

A+
a-
  • Bill de Blasio
  • children
  • New York City
  • vaccine mandates
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Cities

    March 6, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    DC Council Passes Anti-Crime Bill Despite Civil Rights Group Concerns

    WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia Council approved legislation Tuesday that gives police broader powers to try to reduce crime... Read More

    WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia Council approved legislation Tuesday that gives police broader powers to try to reduce crime that has risen to a level some members of Congress believe warrants federal intervention. The law increases penalties for illegal gun possession at a time homicides... Read More

    February 14, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    New York City Sues Social Media Platforms for ‘Fueling’ Mental Health Crisis

    NEW YORK — The city of New York and its health and education departments sued five social media platforms on... Read More

    NEW YORK — The city of New York and its health and education departments sued five social media platforms on Wednesday, saying they need to be held accountable for fueling a mental health crisis among youths across the nation. The announcement of the lawsuit against TikTok,... Read More

    November 15, 2023
    by Dan McCue
    San Antonio Approves Lone Star State’s Largest Municipal Solar Project

    SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio City Council has approved the largest on-site municipal solar project in Texas, a $30... Read More

    SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio City Council has approved the largest on-site municipal solar project in Texas, a $30 million initiative that will see the installation of rooftop, parking and park canopy solar systems on 42 city facilities. During their deliberations, the council agreed that... Read More

    September 11, 2023
    by Dan McCue
    Philadelphia Issues Recall for At-Home COVID-19 Tests

    PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia area residents who have received Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Tests from the city health department are being... Read More

    PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia area residents who have received Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Tests from the city health department are being asked to check the lot numbers on those tests, and to discard any marked with lot numbers COV2110012. Officials with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health... Read More

    August 18, 2023
    by Tom Ramstack
    Amtrak Invokes Eminent Domain for Rail Tunnel in Baltimore

    BALTIMORE — Amtrak is trying to invoke eminent domain rights to build a multibillion-dollar replacement for the 150-year-old rail tunnel... Read More

    BALTIMORE — Amtrak is trying to invoke eminent domain rights to build a multibillion-dollar replacement for the 150-year-old rail tunnel that runs under West Baltimore. The National Passenger Railroad Corp. says a new tunnel would be critical to its ability to operate the 100 mph trains... Read More

    July 14, 2023
    by Dan McCue
    LA Mayor Urges Hollywood to ‘Work Around Clock’ to End Strike

    LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is calling on actors, writers and Hollywood studio brass to “work around... Read More

    LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is calling on actors, writers and Hollywood studio brass to “work around the clock” and resolve the impasse that inspired screen actors and the writers guild to go on strike at the same time for the first time... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top