NYC Indoor COVID Vaccine Mandate: Here's What You Need To Know

NEW YORK CITY — No more dining indoors at a restaurant. So long to attending concerts. Goodbye to working out at the gym.

New Yorkers who aren't vaccinated against the coronavirus on Aug. 16 will find themselves shut out of those parts of everyday life in the city.

And that's the point, said Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday, when he announced the "Key To NYC Pass" mandating proof of vaccination for certain indoor activities and work in New York City.

"It's time for people to see vaccination as literally necessary to living a good and full and healthy life," he said. "The Key to NYC Pass will be a first-in-the-nation approach. It will require vaccination for workers and customers in indoor dining, in indoor fitness facilities, indoor entertainment facilities."

But many details about the indoor vaccination mandate — which is designed to fight against the highly contagious delta variant of coronavirus — remain unsettled.

De Blasio and health officials, for instance, faced questions how the rule will apply to children under 12 who aren't eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

"Reasonable accommodations" will be made for children, said Dave Chokshi, the city's health commissioner.

Officials will seek feedback from businesses over the coming weeks before the final policies are set, de Blasio said.

Here's where the policy stands as of Tuesday.

Who does it apply to?

Customers and workers of restaurants, indoor entertainment and performances and gyms will have to show proof of vaccination, de Blasio said.

He didn't provide an age range, but directed most of his comments toward adults.

"We're not going to exclude those under 12," he said. "We want them to be safe. We want them to be careful, but really what we're trying to do here is focus on the folks who could be vaccinated. The whole purpose of doing this is to give people the ultimate incentive to get vaccinated if they're eligible."

But de Blasio seemed to leave open the potential that children 5 to 11 could soon fall under the policy, assuming they become eligible for the vaccine.

How does it work?

Again, details are sparse but de Blasio said any legitimate document that shows proof of vaccination must be shown to gain entry to certain indoor spaces.

The city's "NYC COVID Safe App," the state's Excelsior Pass and a paper vaccination card would all count, officials said.

Is this going to be enforced?

The policy begins the week of Aug. 16, but city officials won't enforce it until Sept. 13.

De Blasio said the phased-in aspect of enforcement will give businesses and people time to adjust and for kinks to be worked out.

Once Sept. 13 hit, a multi-agency group of city workers will begin inspections and enforcement, Chokshi said.

Can I still eat outdoors?

The rule only appears to apply to certain indoor settings, meaning outdoor dining and other activities remain open to the unvaccinated.