On Tuesday Aug. 3, in response to the increase in spreading of the Delta Variant of the Coronavirus, Mayor De Blasio announced that New York City residents and visitors will now be required to show proof of vaccination (at least one dose) for indoor dining, gyms and indoor entertainment and performances. Employees at these establishments will also have to receive their shot — if they haven’t already.

At the beginning of the major vaccine roll-out, New York State established its own “Excelsior Pass,” which residents who received their vaccine in New York could fill out and use as proof of vaccination. Given the new measures put in place Tuesday, De Blasio stated that New York will create a “Key to NYC” pass for residents or travelers who have received the vaccine in a different state.

Patrons will be required to use the city’s new app, the state’s Excelsior app or a paper card to show proof of vaccination. Only those vaccinated in New York can use the Excelsior Pass; however, everyone who has received the vaccine can use the city’s new app: NYC COVID Safe (IOS, Android) to show proof of vaccination.

The roll-out of this program will start Aug. 16 and will be enforced starting Sept. 13, 2021. New York City is the first major metropolitan city in the United States to implement and enforce this legislation. This plan follows a similar path to mandates issues in France and Italy. De Blasio has also incentivized the public with a $100 to get vaccinated.

De Blasio is also requiring all city workers to get vaccinated or complete weekly COVID testing.

“If you want to participate in our society fully, you’ve got to get vaccinated,” De Blasio said during his press conference Tuesday. “It’s time.”

De Blasio stopped short of reinstating the mask mandate in indoor areas on Monday (despite other large metropolitan areas like Los Angeles County, San Fransisco and Washington doing so). He claimed his focus is to get as many people as vaccinated as possible and re-issuing the mask mandate would decrease the incentive to get vaccinated.

“You’ve seen over 160 million Americans get vaccinated safely; you’ve seen it make a difference,” De Blasio said. “The only reason we are having recovery is [because of] vaccination.”

The city will issue a health commissioners and mayoral executive order to put the vaccine mandate in place. The weeks in between Aug. 16 and Sept. 13 are set to give businesses time to do outreach and implement measures for inspection.

Watch the mayor’s full address to the public below: