New York City to require vaccination proof for indoor dining, gyms, entertainment
03 August 2021
New York City will require proof of vaccination to participate in indoor activities, including visiting gyms and restaurants, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: The mandate is considered to be the first of its kind in the U.S., according to de Blasio. France and Italy announced similar requirements last month.
- Last month, the mayor announced that all city workers would be required to get vaccinated or agree to submit to weekly testing.
State of play: The mandate will move forward beginning the week of Aug. 16 and be fully enforced starting Sept. 13, when schools reopen and people start returning to in-person work.
- New York City will create a health pass called the "Key to NYC Pass" for New Yorkers to provide proof of vaccination for gyms, indoor dining, and live performances and entertainment.
What they're saying: "Not everyone is going to agree with this, I understand that," de Blasio said at a press conference. "But for so many people, this is going to be the life-saving act. That we're putting a mandate in place that is going to guarantee a much higher level of vaccination in this city, and that is the key to protecting people and the key to our recovery."
The big picture: It's the most aggressive move yet to increase vaccinations in New York City. Residents have been able to choose from an array of incentives for getting inoculated, from getting free tickets to city attractions to $100 pre-paid credit cards.
This story is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times
Section2Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.
Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.
The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.
- The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.
What the transcripts say:
- Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
- The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
- Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."
Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.