Unvaccinated New Yorkers can First Go to Nearby Vaccination Centers Before Heading to Indoor Entertainment

 By Yehudit Garmaise

     Mayor Bill de Blasio has many times said that the New York City businesses owners with whom he has spoken are on board, enthusiastic, and even relieved that they will be providing safe environments with the Key to NYC pass, the city’s vaccination mandate for employees and customers of indoor dining, fitness centers, and indoor entertainment.

     Today, however, BoroPark24 asked the mayor to address the anxieties and fears of business owners, who are just now bouncing back from the pandemic, about turning away potentially confused and angry customers who do not want to provide proof of vaccination.

     Other potential problems and confusion could arise from tourists who have different forms of proof of vaccination.

     “We accept proof of vaccination of many kinds, including if it is from other states or from other countries, so I think it is fair to say that a very high percentage of people who are traveling are vaccinated folks,” said the mayor, who said that he did not expect a lot of conflicts from people. “They will provide proof, and we will accept their proof.

     “I think people understand this is a city decision in the context of a global crisis.”

     “But really, in the end, what I say is, ‘New Yorkers are smart people.’

     “They understand: We cannot go backwards. I think everyone agrees: the worst of all worlds  and the most devastating thing for small businesses would be to go back to restrictions.”

      In light of the delta variant and other potential COVID variants, the way to ensure that restrictions never return to New York City, the mayor pointed out, is to get more people vaccinated.

     “Without the help of vaccines,” tweeted Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who will start serving as New York’s governor on Aug. 24. “we’d still have smallpox, diphtheria and polio.

     “Vaccines save lives.”  

     “These are the tools that are going to ensure that people are vaccinated and safe and that we keep moving forward,” said Mayor de Blasio, who echoed the words of Dave A. Chokshi, MD, the city’s health commissioner, who pointed out that vaccinated people are 20 times less likely to die from COVID, 10 times, less likely to be hospitalized with COVID, and two and a half to three times less likely to get infected with COVID. 

     In addition to turning the city for help as they can always do, said the mayor, who today added 100 new pop-up vaccination sites to the more than 1,000 vaccination centers already easily accessible throughout the city, suggested that business owners simply direct irate customers to the nearest vaccination site.

     “If [business owners] have someone who is upset who cannot come in, yeah, go direct them to a vaccination site, which is all over the city, which is free,” the mayor told BoroPark24. “All you need is that first dose.

     “You literally can go out, get vaccinated, turn right around, show your card and you can go into that establishment. And anyone who has been vaccinated, it takes minutes.

     “So there is no reason, even the same day, for anyone to miss out on anything.

      “If New Yorkers really want to be a part of something, they can get vaccinated and come right back.”

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.