New York City is looking to get the coronavirus vaccine to tourists. Mayor de Blasio wants to use the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and have mobile sites in Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Central Park and other places to vaccinate tourists.
“It’s an interconnected country, it’s an interconnected world. The more people get vaccinated the better. If people are visiting us here and we have the ability to vaccinate them, it is a show of good will. It’s a welcome. It will be helpful to us.”
The mayor says this will be a positive message to tourists as the city tries to bring back the tourism industry through a 30 million dollar ad campaign. The city still needs approval from the state to vaccinate out of towners.
New York City is hiring artists through a new program. They have been hit hard financially during the pandemic. The city will pay artists to either create artwork around New York, perform pop up shows or do other art related projects. It’s a 25 million dollar investment. Gonzalo Casals is the head of the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs.
“There is no equitable recovery of our city without investing in the cultural sector. When you invest in arts and culture you are investing in hospitality sector, the nightlife and entertainment sector, tourists and retail you name it.”
One report estimates two thirds of all arts jobs disappeared in the city because of coronavirus. That’s about 200-thousand workers. Details are still being worked out on how the money will be distributed for this program.