New York Introduces Vaccine Pass... US Companies Mandating Vaccination

From the 16th, proof of vaccination required for entry to restaurants and theaters

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min, Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] In New York City, USA, proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required to watch Broadway musicals or dine inside restaurants.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on the 3rd (local time) that starting from the 16th, proof of having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be required to use indoor facilities such as restaurants, gyms, and theaters. Vaccination status can be verified by presenting a paper certificate or using the New York State app 'Excelsior Pass' that confirms vaccination.

Compliance will be mandatory from the 13th of next month. In addition to users, employees of these facilities will also be required to be vaccinated. However, outdoor dining will be allowed without proof of vaccination.

This measure is similar to the vaccine passes introduced earlier by France and Italy to increase vaccination rates. It is the first such case in the United States, and attention is focused on whether it will spread to other cities.

U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized on the same day that "other cities should follow New York City," stating that such measures should be expanded nationwide.

However, President Biden stressed the necessity of verifying vaccination status but said there is no need to introduce an official vaccine pass. This appears to be in consideration of protests against government vaccine certificate requirements in France and Italy.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Major U.S. corporations are increasingly adopting mandatory vaccination policies. Microsoft (MS) announced on the same day that starting next month, employees, suppliers, and visitors entering company facilities in the U.S. must present proof of vaccination.

Clothing company Gap announced that all employees entering offices in New York, the San Francisco Bay Area in California, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, will need to provide proof of vaccination starting September 7.

Meat processing company Tyson Foods also stated that all employees in the U.S. must be vaccinated by November 1. Additionally, companies such as Facebook, Walt Disney, Twitter, Walmart, Morgan Stanley, and The Washington Post have decided to mandate employee vaccinations.

Foreign media explained, "Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and high infection rates in certain areas of the U.S., large corporations are requiring employee vaccinations in accordance with new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which also recommend mask-wearing even for vaccinated individuals."

In the U.S., it was reported on the same day that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has reached the level seen during the major outbreak in February. CNN cited health department data, announcing that as of the previous day, there were 50,625 COVID-19 hospitalizations. The number of hospitalized patients has more than tripled in a month, reaching 50,000 for the first time since February 27.