During a news conference at Citi Field today (Thursday, March 24), NYC Mayor Eric Adams has announced that he has signed Executive Order 62, which expands the performer and athlete exemption to the city’s private employer vaccine mandates.
In shorter words, this order lifts the vaccine mandate for NYC-based athletes and performers.
Mayor Adams stated, “By expanding an existing exemption, we are simply making sure the rules apply equally to everyone who is a performer, regardless of where they are from. The old exemption put our sports teams at a self-imposed competitive disadvantage and was unfair to New York performers.”
“Today we take another step in our city’s economic recovery…by expanding an existing exemption, we are simply making sure the rules apply equally to everyone who is a performer, regardless of where they are from.”
– @NYCMayor #COVID19 https://t.co/V32YeOpOe1 pic.twitter.com/gHrHaJ4o6D
— City of New York (@nycgov) March 24, 2022
Before this Executive Order was signed the city’s vaccine rules allowed non NYC-based performers and athletes to perform or play in New York City regardless of their vaccination status. Being these same rules did not apply to NYC-based performers and athletes, a policy that existed under former mayor Bill de Blasio, the city’s economy was damaged and the New York sports teams were placed at a competitive disadvantage.
Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, hopes that this new order will “bring our city’s economy back equitably,” as it will support live entertainment and performance venues as well as the bars, restaurants, and other small business that depend on the city’s entertainment economy. This will help kick off the full potential of New York City’s nightlife economy, which generated over $35 billion pre-pandemic.
While this new order changes the parameters regarding the vaccine mandate, individuals are still pushing the importance of being vaccinated. Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan states, “My advice as the city’s doctor, is for ALL New Yorkers to get vaccinated – regardless of their occupation.”