A testing site is pictured in New York City.
Kena Betancur is pictured.
New York City will have a vaccine mandate for all private-sector workers in December to head off the coronaviruses surge.
The new requirements were announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Children under the age of 5-11 must have at least one dose of vaccine for entering indoor dining, fitness and entertainment venues. People 12 and older are required to have proof of vaccine to enter New York City.
The key to protecting against the virus was vaccination, according to De Blasio.
Don't end up in a situation where a child is not protected. I want parents to get that vaccine. It's safe. It's been proven. "Here's another incentive to do it," de Blasio said.
The level of vaccine required for adults to be in compliance with other city rules has been raised from one dose to two.
The moves were called a "preemptive strike" by de Blasio. The mayor said that more information would be forthcoming from the city's health commissioner.
Concerns over winter weather and holiday gatherings causing more people to gather indoors, and unknowns about how transmissive and dangerous the omicron variant is are some of the reasons why de Blasio made the decision.
Four cases of the omicron variant have been identified in the New York City area. Community spread is thought to be happening in the state.
Hochul said they knew it would come to New York state. We're ready for it. This is not new.
The question of how much protection current vaccines may offer against the omicron variant is being researched by scientists. It's too early to tell if omicron causes a milder or more severe illness than other strains, but early evidence suggests it may be better at evading the immune system.
About 100,000 cases a day are caused by the pervasive variant in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, case numbers are 50% higher now than a month ago.
