Children ages 5 to 11 will need proof of vaccination for restaurants and movie theaters in New York City

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that children between the ages of 5 and 11 will be required to have proof of vaccination against covid-19 before being allowed to enter places in New York City, including restaurants and movie theaters.

Children ages 5 to 11 will need proof of vaccination for restaurants and movie theaters in New York City

Starting Dec. 14, all five-year-olds will be asked to prove they are vaccinated in the city, de Blasio said. Although, unlike currently for adults, only one vaccination will be required.

Children between the ages of five and 11 have been eligible for the covid-19 vaccine for about four weeks, although de Blasio on Monday cited the threat of a new covid-19 variant as a “new factor.”

After admitting that the Omicron variant of covid-19 was a cause for concern, the mayor mentioned that colder weather and a mix of holidays were also factors considered in his restrictions for New Yorkers, in an interview with MSNBC.

He stated, “We have the colder weather, which is really going to create new challenges with the Delta variant. We have the holiday gatherings.”

“In New York City, we’ve decided to take a preemptive strike to do something really bold to stop the further growth of covid and the dangers it poses to all of us.”

According to the city’s Department of Education, more than 40,000 children between the ages of 5 and 11 have so far received the covid-19 vaccine in New York City schools.

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NYC is a global leader when it comes to #COVID19 recovery. 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. https://t.co/SjxNUla4oJ

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) December 6, 2021

Dave Chokshi, city health commissioner, wrote that infection rates were highest in the 5 to 11 age group.

Meanwhile, as of Dec. 14, adults and children over the age of 12 will be asked for proof that they are fully vaccinated, or two doses.