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New York becomes first U.S. city to order COVID vaccines for restaurants, gyms

kshama2001
kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
I heard about vaccine passports in Israel in March and posted a thread about it which apparently got zapped. Let's play nice on this thread :)

I support NYC on this and would love to see it state wide here in Massachusetts.

I heard about this on NPR. Apparently, most New Yorkers are within a few blocks of a location where they can get vaxxed, and there are also mobile clinics and at-home visits. The $100 incentive has had positive results.

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/03/1024338547/in-nyc-proof-of-vaccination-becomes-a-key-to-the-city

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi about the city's announcement that proof of vaccination will be required to enjoy indoor dining, gyms and performances.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/nyc-require-proof-vaccination-indoor-activities-mayor-2021-08-03/

...NEW YORK, Aug 3 (Reuters) - New York City will become the first major U.S. city to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination at restaurants, gyms and other businesses, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday, as the nation grapples with the rapidly spreading Delta variant.
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Replies

  • Mellouk89
    Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
    Same thing is going to happen in the province of Quebec in Canada. Not a big deal in my opinion. One can train at home and order delivery.

    If it's just that but you can still go to the grocery store, receive public services etc... then it's the least of my concern.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,352 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I definitely think more of this is coming down the pipe. These types of things are a privilege, not a right and I figured at some point the consequence to vaccine avoidance would become punitive.

    I was reading another article this morning that it is highly possible that proof of vaccine will be required for airline travel once the vaccines have full FDA approval. I was reading another article talking about health and life insurance companies raising rates on unvaxed people. I actually just received a memo a couple of days ago from the company I have my life insurance through that they will be raising rates on unvaxed plan participants starting January 1, 2022.

    In NM if you are faculty or a student of a state university, vaccines are mandated to be in person...I've also heard of this with many other universities around the country.

    My university in Colorado has mandated vaccines for all employees except for approved medical and religious exemptions. Medical exemptions require a doctor's note, I'm not sure what they're doing about religious exemptions. Unvaccinated employees who have to be on campus will be required to wear masks, social distance, and test on a regular basis (weekly testing will be most likely from what I've heard). Those without documented exceptions may also face disciplinary action potentially up to termination if they don't comply with the policy. We've also made vaccination a condition of employment, so all of our newer job postings and letters of offer specifically state the expectation that new employees will be fully vaccinated prior to their university start date.

    I don't think there's been a whole lot of pushback on our campus about the new policy. We're an academic medical center with three hospitals on our campus and two additional hospitals that we work closely with, so mandated vaccines aren't terribly unusual for either faculty or staff. I had an office in one of the hospitals--just an office, no patient contact whatsoever--and had to have a measles booster before I could get my keys and flu shots every year.

    I'm becoming more interested to hear whether the campus will in fact, fully reopen after Labor Day. We're expecting to hear in the next day or two that masks will be required in all indoors areas again. The school I work for already has two documented cases of vaccinated people that are currently sick with the delta variant, so it will be interesting to see what the administrative response is, especially since we're so close to bringing all the students back in the next few weeks.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited August 2021
    Mellouk89 wrote: »
    Just as I predicted, Quebec moves towards vaccine passport :

    https://globalnews.ca/news/8088461/quebec-covid-vaccine-passport/

    I wish they would do it here (Chicago), or that more businesses, other forums, would do it, plus city employees/schools, but I have suspected it would be too political, and the positions taken by the teachers' unions and the Boston mayor make me think I am right.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    YellowD0gs wrote: »
    Hopefully, the full approval by the FDA is coming soon. This will give businesses, universities, etc, the legal cover they need to require that their employees/patrons/students be vaccinated. Many medical facilities have required their employees to get vaccinations in the past (influenza, chicken pox, etc), so there is precedent.

    The fact that it's still under emergency authorization gives people grounds to bring a lawsuit.

    Except, at least in Texas, those lawsuits have been thrown out. The Emergency Use Authorization status has nothing to do with it.

    "This is not coercion. Methodist (the Hospital) is trying to do their business of saving lives without giving them the COVID-19 virus. It is a choice made to keep staff, patients, and their families safer. [Plaintiffs] can freely choose to accept or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine; however, if [they] refuse, [they] will simply need to work somewhere else."

    The 7th Circuit agreed with Indiana U that their policy (either vaccines, attend remotely, or -- with some sort of health or conscience objection -- wear a mask in public spaces and be tested frequently) was legal.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    Good. I actually believe the vaccine should be mandatory for everyone. People’s lives are more important at this time than our “freedoms”.

    I heard a blip of this interview on the radio with this older woman who said she was against mandatory vaccinations because 'it takes away my individualism'. :s
    Gimme a break. You want individualism? Get a unique tattoo, wear a fashion statement to call out your individualism. But don't risk being on a ventilator or worse, infecting innocent children. :(

    Exactly.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,281 Member
    Nooshi - I fully expect that to be mandated here in Australia soon too for all workers in Aged care and public hospitals - given this is already the case with flu vaccine - and for some other health areas, also other vaccines - whooping cough, Hep B, MMRV
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    Nooshi - I fully expect that to be mandated here in Australia soon too for all workers in Aged care and public hospitals - given this is already the case with flu vaccine - and for some other health areas, also other vaccines - whooping cough, Hep B, MMRV

    I’m glad to hear it. Right now, people’s lives are more important than our freedoms IMO.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    @jogman, I read an article yesterday (just an article, didn't delve into the science behind it) that cited a study that showed that people who had covid and then received one vax (I think it was phizer but I wouldn't swear) had a marginally greater degree of protection than either fully vaxxed or covid-recovered people. Hope it turns out to be true :)
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