New York City to Lift Vaccine Mandate for Restaurants, Indoor Events

New York City, the first major U.S. metropolis to require vaccines indoors, will now soon lift that mandate for dining, indoor businesses, and other events. Vaccine passports will no longer be required starting March 7, Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday. He also plans on lifting school mask mandates on the same date, unless there are “unforeseen spikes” in COVID cases.

The city’s mandate was first announced in August, requiring anyone who wished to dine or attend an indoor event to show proof of vaccination. 

“At the end of this week, we will evaluate the numbers and make a final announcement on Friday. If we see no unforeseen spikes and our numbers continue to show a low level of risk, New York City will remove the indoor mask mandate for public school children, effective next Monday, March 7,” he said.

“Additionally, New York City’s numbers continue to go down day after day, so, as long as COVID indicators show a low level of risk and we see no surprises this week, on Monday, March 7 we will also lift Key2NYC requirements. This will give business owners the time to adapt and will allow us to ensure we are making the best public health decisions for the people of New York.”

More than 87% of New Yorkers are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. More than 96% of adults in the city have been at least partially vaccinated.