Kids Won't Be Excluded Under NYC Indoor Vaccine Mandate: Mayor

NEW YORK CITY — Parents, rest easy — New York City's upcoming indoor coronavirus vaccine mandate won't exclude children who can't yet get their shots.

Kids can still eat indoors at a restaurant or sit in movie theaters under the city's vaccine rule, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.

“We want families to be together," he said during his daily briefing. "Smart thing to do is keep masks on your kids, except for when they’re eating and drinking, obviously. But if you’re going out as a whole family and your kids are not yet vaccination age, of course should come along.”

The mayor's reassurance followed his unveiling of "Key To NYC Pass" — a mandate that New Yorkers show proof of vaccination for certain indoor activities, from dining inside restaurants to working out at a gym.

The mandate begins Aug. 16, but de Blasio and city officials have acknowledged they're still developing rules. Whether the mandate will apply to children under 12 who aren't eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine is a question that came up as soon as de Blasio's announcement Tuesday.

Officials plan to take input from businesses and the public as they develop the final rule. Enforcement at restaurants and other indoor spaces will begin Sept. 13.

De Blasio said he anticipates other cities will adopt similar rules to stop the delta variant of coronavirus' spread. The completely voluntary phase of vaccinations is over, at least in New York City, he said.

"Now we have a delta variant — time to take a different strategic approach and that means the right kind of mandates," he said. "And the Key To NYC Pass to me, is exactly the right kind of mandate."