New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) bragged that his administration’s plan to force private businesses to discriminate against the unvaccinated received a sterling endorsement from President Joe Biden, stating during Wednesday’s press conference that Biden “100 percent said yes, cities and states and counties” should follow suit, emulating the policy.
“Now as to the fact that this should be picked up all over the country, and emulated, what clear, clear support we got from President Joe Biden,” de Blasio said during Wednesday’s press conference, one day after announcing the Key to NYC Pass.
“This was just a few hours after announcing the policy, Joe Biden 100 percent said yes, cities and states and counties should do this,” he said, referencing Biden’s Q&A with a reporter asking if he thought more states and cities should take similar action. Biden said, “I do.”
“It’s the right thing to do. I want to thank Joe Biden for his support, and I think that’s going to be tremendously helpful in convincing a lot of jurisdictions to follow this model which will keep us all safer,” de Blasio continued.
“And we presented the $100 incentive, that also got a lot of pick up from the federal government and around the country. We know that’s working too. So every piece helps to get more people vaccinated, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing,” he vowed.
The Key to NYC Pass will essentially bar unvaccinated individuals from entering indoor restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues in the state.
“We need these strong clear mandates. And we’ve proven that even with outdoor entertainment it makes sense. Our homecoming concerts are going to be amazing, but if you want to go to one of them, you have to be vaccinated. That’s a requirement,” de Blasio announced Tuesday.
“The Key to New York City. When you hear those words, I want you to imagine the notion that because someone’s vaccinated, they can do all the amazing things that are available in the city,” he said, explaining that such “wondrous” things in the city will only be available to those who have the key, which is vaccination.
“And if you’re vaccinated, all of that’s going to open up to you. You’ll have the key, you can open the door. If you’re unvaccinated, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in many things,” he said.
“It’s time for people to see vaccination as literally necessary to living a good and full and healthy life,” the Democrat added.
While White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested there will be no federal vaccine mandate, she said the administration supports such efforts from local governments.
Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was forced to backtrack last month after stating that the federal government was looking into mandating the vaccine on the federal level: