New York City Makes It Compulsory For Museum Staff & Visitors To Be Vaccinated
Image via Anton_Ivanov / Shutterstock.com
If you’re a true lover of culture and the arts and live in New York City, prove it by getting vaccinated.
That’s the only way to enter museums and other cultural institutions in the city, as Mayor Bill de Blasio has revealed plans by the government to mandate vaccines for staff and visitors, with the Delta variant still at large.
In a news conference on Monday, De Blasio expressed that tackling the variant head-on would be “the best way to support cultural institutions, because it brings us all back.”
According to the New York Times, the mayor also outlined the importance of reviving the city’s cultural heart in a safe and cautious manner. “We are defined by our arts and culture in this city… All these pieces lead us forward to the day when we won’t need these rules and our cultural institutions can open 110%,” he said.
The mandate will join the city’s ‘Key to NYC’ policy, which requires proofs of vaccination at indoor venues like bars, gyms, and theaters. It will kick off on Tuesday but will only be fully enforced from September 13, so as to give establishments and the public time to adjust; meanwhile, a US$10 million media campaign is in the works to educate residents about the changes.
Visitors and employees can present proof in the form of an official vaccination card in hard copy or photo form; an Excelsior Pass; an official, authorized vaccine record; or by showing their status on a New York City vaccination app.
De Blasio stressed that people would only need to “get at least the first vaccination” to be able to work at or visit the places they love. “Of course the goal is to get everyone fully vaccinated,” he added. In addition, children under the age of 12 would have to be accompanied by a vaccinated person to visit these venues, and are encouraged to mask up.
The New York Times reports that 34 museums and arts groups from city-owned buildings or lands, along with non-city-owned establishments, were mostly in favor of the vaccination mandate.
“The City’s recovery depends on culture coming back strong,” describes Jimmy Van Bramer, chairman of the City Council committee in charge of cultural affairs. “Our audiences must feel safe and vaccine mandates are necessary for that to happen… people will want to know that the person sitting next to them in the theater or standing next to them at the Met are vaccinated also. This is the smart thing to do for everyone — patrons, artists and staff.”
[via The New York Times, cover image via Anton_Ivanov / Shutterstock.com]
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