New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday the city will fully reopen on July 1.
“We are ready for stores to open, for businesses to open, offices, theaters, full strength,” de Blasio said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “Because look, what we’re seeing is people have gotten vaccinated, an extraordinary number, 6.3 million vaccinations in New York City to date. We’re doing a lot to reach people at the grassroots.”
The Democratic mayor said indoor dining will be permitted fully but noted Broadway shows may start in September, saying “it takes time because they have to mount a whole production.”
“They’ve been aiming for September, most of the shows,” he said. “Some of the smaller shows might be able to come in earlier. But one thing for sure, we’ve been vaccinating the Broadway community.”
When asked about the possible intervention of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — whom de Blasio has repeatedly said should resign amid several recent scandals — the mayor said federal and state governments “always have a say.”
“I’m saying, as leader of New York City, we’re ready to come back and come back strong,” de Blasio said, MSNBC reported. “All of the indicators show it. We’re focused on the data and the science. … That’s how we’ve made every decision, that’s what’s worked, and the data and the science are saying out loud, it’s time to come back.”
The mayor said vaccination sites are accepting people without an appointment and encouraged everyone who hasn’t yet been vaccinated to do so.
So far, New York has administered roughly 6.4 million of its 7.5 million available coronavirus vaccine doses, with 2.5 million residents fully vaccinated, according to a city-run tracker.
