Updates on Vaccine Mandates

Guidance and mandates are changing daily as New York navigates reopening the economy in the midst of rising COVID-19 cases. Find recently announced information below.

On Monday, August 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine, known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, will now be marketed as Comirnaty for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

With this FDA vaccine approval, the state-mandated directive for all students to be vaccinated is now in place for all SUNY campuses. SUNY policy allows a grace period of up to 35 days to allow students to provide proof of vaccination or submit a request for a medical or religious exemption for campus review. SUNY faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to continue to be vaccinated as well. Additionally, all CUNY schools are mandating all students taking in-person and hybrid classes to be vaccinated and upload proof of vaccination on CUNYfirst. 

Mayor de Blasio has announced that all New York City Department of Education workers, including teachers, administrators and support staff, must provide proof of the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination by Monday, September 27. There will no longer be a weekly testing option.

All healthcare workers in New York will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday, September 27. This includes staff at hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, adult care and other congregate settings. Click here for more information.

The "Key to NYC" program has gone into effect, which requires the indoor entertainment, indoor dining and indoor fitness establishments to check vaccination records of staff and customers ages 12 and older. Check out the following materials that may be of help: FAQ on the Key to NYC Program, a checklist for your business, and a Key to NYC Factsheet from the NYC Commission of Human Rights. For more information on the Key to NYC Program, click here.

We will continue to monitor these changes to provide updates on vaccine mandates across the City and State, but check out the CDC website, ny.gov and nyc.gov for the latest information. 

Photo credit: The State of New York