New York City to require proof of vaccination for indoor dining, entertainment venues

The Associated Press

FILE â€” In this July 30, 2021 file photo, Bradley Sharp, of Saratoga, N.Y., gets the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from registered nurse Stephanie Wagner, in New York. Sharp needs the vaccination because it is required by his college. Hundreds of college campuses across the country have told students that they must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before classes begin in a matter of weeks. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

NEW YORK — New York City will soon require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for indoor activities.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the move Tuesday, the first big city in the U.S. to impose such restrictions.

The new requirement starts Aug. 16. It applies to indoor dining, gyms and indoor entertainment venues.

Will York County and its top employers follow suit? Dispatch reporter Matthew Enright reported on that issue here.

De Blasio said Monday he was making "a strong recommendation" that everyone wear a mask in public indoor settings but stressed that the city's "overwhelming strategic thrust" remained getting more people vaccinated.

Official data indicates about 66% of adults in New York City are fully vaccinated.

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