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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a vaccine mandate for all private companies, which will take effect in the Big Apple on December 27 and will be the first of its kind in the United States.
Additionally, New York will also require all indoor dining fitness and entertainment to require vaccine proof for children ages 5 to 11 in adherence with the new vaccine mandate.
"We’ve got Omicron as a new factor. We’ve got the colder weather which is going to really create additional challenges with the Delta variant, we’ve got holiday gatherings," de Blasio said while appearing on MSNBC's Morning Joe program Monday (December 6) morning via NBC New York. "We in New York City have decided to use a preemptive strike to really do something bold to stop the further growth of COVID and the dangers it’s causing to all of us."
New York City had previously implemented mandates for city workers prior to Mayor de Blasio's announcement on Monday.
New York City will also expand its requirements to proof of two vaccine doses instead of just one, which may lead to a need of complete Pfizer or Moderna series or the Johnson & Johnson with a booster moving forward, NBC New York reports.
The mayor hinted at possible changes last week amid the city's response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the threat of the new omicron variant.
"NYC is a global leader when it comes to #COVID19 recovery," Mayor de Blasio tweeted on Monday, along with a graphic of his announcement. "We've proven that with vaccine mandates and incentives, we can beat this virus.
"Now we're taking another step towards the future -- a private sector employee vaccine mandate. Together we can save lives and move forward."