Andy Slavitt, former Biden White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator and former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, praised Mayor Bill de Blasio’s (D) plan to discriminate against unvaccinated individuals by forcing indoor restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues to require patrons to show proof of vaccination prior to entry and predicted that such a policy will be “copied around the country” down the road.
The Democrat mayor featured Slavitt at Tuesday’s press conference, where de Blasio introduced the “Key to NYC Pass” initiative, which will effectively prevent unvaccinated individuals from participating in many everyday life activities, such as dining in a restaurant.
Slavitt divided people into three groups of concern: the vaccinated, willfully unvaccinated, and those who cannot be vaccinated due to age or a medical condition.
“These kind of folks [the vaccinated] will have the ability to lead the kind of life they led prior to 2020 and really make the most of reuniting with their families, friends, and activities around New York,” he said, explaining that the third group must take priority above the other two and “be protected from the city.”
“It is putting those people and their needs higher than people that have choices who are not taking them, that’s so essential,” Slavitt said, openly supporting intrusive policies to force the unvaccinated to succumb to the government’s demands.
“The questions people have now about society will be cleared up with this announcement. Can I go into this restaurant? Can I go into this gym safely? Can I go to this doctor? Should I go to this hospital? Should I go to this movie? New York City will be the first city in the country that takes those questions off the table completely as this gets implemented,” Slavitt continued, contending that the policy is not pitting people against each other. Rather, he said these coercive efforts should be viewed as a “choice that benefits everybody.”
Slavitt expressed the view that the mandate be viewed in a positive light, as an “encouragement” for those who were not vaccinated “not because they have a real objection to it but because they haven’t seen or felt a compelling need.”
“And our data shows a lot of people, particularly people under 25, who have not been vaccinated, really don’t hold a strong objection,” he claimed, viewing government-mandated discrimination against the unvaccinated as a nudge to force the administration’s desired behavior.
“They just don’t feel that it’s such a high priority in their lives. So I want to thank the mayor for his leadership today,” he said, predicting that the rest of the country will follow suit.
“I expect that over time, this will be copied around the country,” he added.
The Democrat mayor bragged about the initiative prior to introducing Slavitt.
“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, describing New York City as a “miraculous place literally full of wonders.” Such “wonders,” however, are only available to the vaccinated.
“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 warned.
Enforcement will begin mid-September.
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