New York City to Require Vaccination Proof for Restaurants

New York City will begin requiring proof of vaccination for patrons to eat at restaurants indoors, reports CNBC. New York City is the first major city in the U.S. to require proof of vaccination for restaurants, though others, like San Francisco, have begun following suit.

Specifically, the new mandate requires customers to have had at least one vaccine dose to enter the establishment. Beyond dining, other affected activities include fitness clubs and indoor performances.

Now restaurants are deciding how they will check for proof of vaccination and looking to train staff while waiting on additional guidance from the city in terms of how much information needs to be collected from each customer. Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol said last week to The Washington Post that the city needs to decide how vaccination requirements will apply to those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical or religious reasons.

For tourists visiting from outside of the U.S., there is uncertainly over what will be accepted as vaccine proof. One example comes from Stacy Widlitz, Retail Consultant and Founder of SW Retail Advisors, who has had difficulty with some New York businesses accepting her proof of vaccination from the U.K.’s National Health Service mobile app, as she was vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in the U.K.

The new mandate will be enforced beginning Sept. 13, 2021.