Anyone wanting to attend entertainment venues, workout in a gym or dine inside in New York City will need to show proof that they’re vaccinated for COVID, beginning August 17, 2021.

The “Key to New York” is the brainchild of New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio, who made the rules through an executive order. “We made a decision a few weeks ago, the whole ball game is vaccination and once you make that kind of profound strategic decision you throw everything you got at it,” the mayor told ABC News, “We’re not interested in half measures, we’re interested in vaccination.”

Actual enforcement of the rule begins September 13, 2021, with $1,000 fines for failing to comply. Multiple violations will result in increased fines. And — should someone consider submitting a fake vaccination card — those who use them will be committing fraud, and they’ll be prosecuted as fraud, NYC’s health commissioner, David Chokshi said. He is encouraging people to report fraudsters so he can address them both through the city’s resources and the attorney general.

“We will have recourse for people to report if they are encountering fake vaccination cards, both at the city level through 311 as well as through the state attorney general’s office,” Chokshi told ABC News.

SOURCE: ABC News 7 August 16, 2021