New York Mayor Eric Adams said he wants the city to move in the next few weeks toward phasing out its proof-of-vaccination requirement for patrons of restaurants, bars and other indoor spaces.
The city began the vaccine policy, also known as “Key to NYC,” last fall, requiring residents to show proof of at least one Covid-19 vaccination for most indoor activities.
Adams said that he will continue to “follow the science” in deciding when the so-called vaccine passport rule will be eliminated. He added that he does not want to act prematurely but is eager to do away with the requirement as the city moves closer toward normalcy.
“I can’t wait to get it done,” he said, when asked about phasing out the requirement. “We were hit with the uncertainty, the fear of Covid, and I’m really proud of how we responded as New Yorkers.”
The decision would follow other cities — including Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. — that have ended similar requirements as the latest wave of the coronavirus ebbs. Chicago will lift its mask and vaccine mandates on Feb. 28. In another sign of a shift to treat the pandemic as endemic, New Jersey’s governor said he will stop giving his regular virus briefings on March 4, two years to the day when the state reported its first case of Covid-19.
In New York City, cases have been falling since they peaked at around 60,000 a day in early January. The seven-day average of 796 cases through Sunday was less than the seven days ahead of Thanksgiving, before the omicron variant raced through the U.S.
About 86% of New York City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the city health department. Manhattan has the highest vaccination rate, with 95% of residents receiving at least one shot, while Brooklyn is the lowest at 78%.
The drop in caseloads and widespread vaccination levels led Governor Kathy Hochul this month to lift the state-wide mask mandate for businesses that don’t check vaccination status, though local governments still have the option to set their own policies.
Some New York City businesses welcomed the potential end to the vaccination requirement as a sign of the pandemic’s long hoped-for end.
“It’s best for everyone’s mental health, good for the city, good for the economy, good for tourism,” said Andrew Carmellini, chef and partner at NoHo Hospitality Group.
Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, said it has reduced dining in neighborhoods with lower vaccination rates. But he said it’s likely not doing much to improve the city’s vaccination rates given how long it has already been in force.
But others said they’ve grown accustomed to the vaccine requirement and it has given customers a sense of safety.
Some restaurants may even decide to implement their own vaccine mandate after the city policy lifts, if they are able to do so, to protect patrons and employees.
“We will probably continue to request vaccinations,” said Jeremy Wladis, CEO of The Restaurant Group, owner of Good Enough to Eat on the Upper West Side, among others. “We want to be respectful of the neighborhood and our team.”