New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is encouraging businesses to require patrons to be vaccinated as new COVID-19 cases are on the rise around the country.
On Monday, Cuomo said, “Private businesses, I am asking them and suggesting to them, go to vaccine-only admission. Go to vaccine-only admission.”
“We did this. Radio City Music Hall months ago reopened vaccine-only. Sold out all the shows. Sports arenas, they went up to about 90%, vaccine-only,” he continued. “Private businesses, bars, restaurants, go to a vaccine-only admission. I believe it’s in your best business interest.”
Finally, he said, “If I go to a bar and I want to have a drink, and I want to talk to the person next to me, I want to know that that person is vaccinated. If I go to a restaurant and I’m sitting at a table and the table right next to me, I want to know that they’re vaccinated. I believe it’s in your business interest to run a vaccine-only establishment.”
Watch the video below:
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) calls on private businesses to implement vaccine mandates for employees and customers:
— The Recount (@therecount) August 2, 2021
“I believe it’s in your business interest to run a vaccine-only establishment.” pic.twitter.com/wHHcFNqeRS
Cuomo’s comments come as the country is seeing another wave of coronavirus cases and is recording an average of 79,763 new cases per day, up 149% from the previous 14-days as the Delta variant has become the dominant strain.
The surge in cases has sparked a new conversation around vaccine mandates and whether the federal government should mandate them.
President Joe Biden has encouraged states to offer financial incentives for people to get vaccinated and implemented new rules that require federal employees to provide proof of vaccination or get regularly tested and be subjected to masks mandates and travel restrictions.
While some are pushing for a federal vaccine mandate, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said on Friday that there “will be no federal mandate.”
Large companies such as Walmart, Disney, Facebook, and Google have announced that they will require employees to get vaccinated against the virus.