Mayor Bill de Blasio issued new vaccine mandates Monday, which included changed regulations for children aged 5 to 11 to attend theater.
Under the new rules, which take effect Dec. 14, children in that age group must have received one dose of the vaccine to attend an indoor performance. The current policy on Broadway allows children under the age of 12 to provide a negative COVID-19 test or show proof of receiving one dose of the vaccine at least 14 days before the performance.
The Broadway League did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the policy update.
De Blasio introduced the rules for children, which also pertain to indoor dining as well as gyms and other indoor entertainment venues, as part of a new citywide vaccination mandate. Starting Dec. 27, all private sector workers in New York City will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The mandate comes as COVID-19 case rates rise in the city and after the state identified its first five cases of the Omicron variant.
Adults were already required by the city to show proof of one dose of the vaccine to enter gyms, other entertainment venues and to participate in indoor dining. That requirement will be increased to two vaccine doses starting Dec. 27, unless the individual has received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
In New York City, 6.5 million individuals, which includes 89% of adults and more than 125,000 children, have already received at least one dose of the vaccine.
