NEW YORK CITY, (CelebrityAccess) — City Winery in New York City announced an expansion of its COVID-19 testing and vaccination policy in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
The new rules, which at present apply only to City Winery’s Manhattan flagship, require all fans, staff, and artists to be fully vaccinated and starting on January 10th, visitors will be required to show proof that they have received a booster vaccine as well.
Additionally, guests will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of their visit. The venue will have a limited number of tests on hand
“This is the safest way to host people. Our responsibility as venue owners is to keep all of our patrons as safe as possible. Our responsibility as presenters is to keep our artists protected and as employers our employees. It’s just common sense. It’s not politics, it is creating hospitality in the world of Omicron variants,” City Winery founder Michael Dorf told CelebrityAccess.
According to Dorf, they are currently weighing an expansion of the new rules to the venue chain’s other outlets, which include locations in Boston, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.
“We are doing this in NYC right now, given the incredibly high rate of spread. We are evaluating this to consider a role out to other venues depending on the spread nationally,” Dorf said.
The new rules at City Winery NYC come as the Omicron variant tightens its grip on the city. On December 19th, the city reported a record number of new cases with more than 18,000 infections.
“Omicron has proven to be the fastest, fittest, and most formidable variant of the virus, thus far,” Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi told ABC News. “This is in part due to its ability to evade the immune system, meaning that those who already had COVID and those who are vaccinated are more likely to be infected by omicron than past variants.”
Upcoming performances scheduled for City Winery NYC include Los Lobos on December 20 and 21, David Broza and Friends on December 23, comedian Modi on December 25 and 26, and Aimee Mann on December 27 and 28.
