'This Is A Beginning': More COVID Vax Mandates Likely, Mayor Says

New York City NY

23 July, 2021

1:17 PM

Description

NEW YORK CITY — Increasingly strict coronavirus vaccination mandates — up to restricting access to restaurants and public indoor spaces — could be headed to New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday. De Blasio said such strict measures must be considered as the Delta variant "freight train" heads to the city. But the mayor repeatedly refused to elaborate on future plans when pressed by WNYC's Brian Lehrer. He only emphasized that the recently announced vaccination or weekly test mandate for city health care workers likely won't be the last step. "This is a beginning and we are going to climb up the ladder of measures to address this situation," he said. The Delta variant has caused a marked increase in coronavirus cases in New York City and across the country. There were an average of 693 new daily cases as of Friday — up from 192 exactly a month ago, according to data. Health officials fear the more-contagious Delta variant will drive a "pandemic of the unvaccinated." The city's vaccination effort until recently operated on a purely voluntary basis — all carrots in the forms of incentives and outreach, and no stick. De Blasio said the approach made it so nearly 5 million New Yorkers received at least one dose. But he said slowing vaccinations, coupled with the Delta variant, mean it's time for additional measures. "So, we have reached the limits of a purely voluntary system," he told Lehrer. "It's time for more mandates, different kinds, different places, different approaches." "Vaccination is the difference maker," he said. "If everyone was vaccinated right now, we would not be having a conversation about the Delta variant." Lehrer asked de Blasio if New York City would consider French President Emmanuel Macron's recent approach requiring proof of vaccination to enter restaurants or other public indoor spaces. De Blasio expressed openness to the idea. "I'm not always the biggest Marcon fan, but in this case, I think that's a direction we need to seriously consider," he said. "I think there's a lot to be said for that. Again, we're watching the situation daily and we are being led by the data and the science and the Delta variant is changing this game rapidly." Macron's vaccine passport requirement was met by mass protests in France, Politico reported.