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NEW YORK (AP) – The Stop Inn makes no secret that it plans to comply with the city’s new coronavirus edict – that all patrons dining inside in restaurants, browsing art in museums or sweating in gyms must prove they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Signs on the front door and windows of the Queens Restaurant were put up on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s compliance with the city’s latest effort to tackle the particularly troublesome and more contagious delta variant that has fueled an increase in infections and diseases. hospitalizations.
Norbu Lama, 17, said he was surprised when a waiter politely asked him for his vaccination card shortly after slipping into a cubicle with his parents and younger sister.
“We didn’t know we had to bring it,” he said. The waiter seemed relieved when Lama and his family presented copies of their vaccination cards on their phone, Lama said.
The vaccination mandate, announced two weeks ago by Mayor Bill de Blasio, aims to persuade more people to get vaccinated or miss city amenities like restaurants, bars, gyms, public shows, museums and other places.
But the measures are fraught with complications, as restaurant waiters, bartenders and ticket agents become the frontline agents of vaccination rules. Fearful of losing business, but aware that another economic shutdown could be disastrous, business owners are keenly aware that controlling the virus will keep their doors open.
“We don’t want to go back to the restrictions,” de Blasio said at a virtual press conference on Tuesday. “The key to our progress is vaccination. “
Since the beginning of August, more than 300,000 additional people have received at least one injection of the vaccine, according to data from the city. At least 5.2 million of the city’s 8.8 million people have received at least one injection, with nearly 5 million fully vaccinated.
As the delta variant poses a growing threat, some cities and states, as well as the federal government, have moved more aggressively to vaccinate more people or subject them to consequences such as regular testing or loss of access. to elements of public life.
Since New York City made its announcement, San Francisco and New Orleans have followed suit. Los Angeles is considering similar measures. All are led by Democratic mayors, highlighting the political divide over mandates on vaccines, masks and other measures.
The new rules went into effect on Tuesday, but enforcement won’t begin until September 13, providing a grace period for implementation.
On Tuesday, the Museum of Modern Art did not require visitors to present proof of vaccination. A ticket agent said he didn’t know when the requirement started.
Avner Balkany, who came to Israel with his family, said he was not aware of the city’s new rules but would have been prepared anyway, as he took his wallet to show his card. vaccination.
“We need to persuade as many people as possible to get vaccinated,” he said. “I know it’s problematic – people’s rights – but it’s still an emergency. In an emergency, you have to take aggressive action,”
New York City has recorded an average of 2,000 new cases of coronavirus per day over the past seven days, up from around 200 per day at the end of June.
A $ 10 million media blitz was also launched on Tuesday as part of educating visitors to the city. The mayor announced that around 100 vaccination sites would appear in places such as gymnasiums and that the city would send more than 600 canvassers to help.
Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, said his group fully supports the effort. In return for the industry’s cooperation, he called on the authorities to replenish financial aid to restaurants still in difficulty.
Leon Ellis, the owner of Chocolate, a restaurant in the Harlem neighborhood, said sacrifices were needed to prevent the virus from wreaking more havoc on businesses like his.
“This COVID is a big deal. So we have to do whatever we can to make sure we get it under control, ”he said.
Ellis knows there are details he and his staff have yet to work out to fully comply with the new rules, but he also knows enforcement won’t begin for several weeks.
“I still have to do my research on this,” he said. “But whatever the guidelines, we will comply. “
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Follow AP’s coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
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