New York recently dropped its mask mandates and New York City stopped its vaccine proof requirement for restaurant and venues, but those measures could return if COVID-19 cases rise again. NBC New York’s Andrew Siff reports.
Most COVID-19 mandates, mask and otherwise, may have lifted in New York and much of the country, but it's still smart to keep all your vaccine documents in a place you can find them. Preferably, you can keep them all together, since you may still need them for travel, employment verification and other activities from time to time.
New York state's Excelsior Pass, a free, voluntary platform that provides secure, digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results, has been around since the Cuomo pandemic days, but it's gotten a few boosts since Gov. Kathy Hochul took over.
The governor's office launched a reboot of sorts for the original Excelsior Pass, dubbing its enhanced option the Excelsior Pass PLUS. Now you can add your booster info, too.
Wondering how? And how the Pass Plus differs from the original? Turns out there are actually three versions of the program. Here are the state's answers to the top FAQs.
Are there different Excelsior Pass Plus types?
Yep, there are three. The Excelsior Vaccination Pass Plus is available as a digital copy of an individual's vaccination record 15 days after the final dose of the vaccine was administered. There's no expiration date. The Excelsior PCR Pass Plus is valid until midnight on the third day after a test, while the Excelsior Antigen Pass Plus is valid for six hours from the time of a test. You have to meet certain eligibility requirements.
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How do I know if I'm eligible for these versions?
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You're eligible to receive an Excelsior Pass Plus if it's been 15 days or longer since you received the final dose in your vaccine series, you have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days, and you've been fully vaccinated in the state of New York or a New York resident fully vaccinated in New Jersey or Vermont.
You're also eligible if you're a New York resident and your state health provider entered your out-of-state vaccine information into state or NYC immunization databases.
You have to have received an FDA-approved vaccine, though, which for now applies only to Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna brands.
Where does the booster info go, again?
If you received your COVID-19 booster/additional dose at least three days ago, simply visit epass.ny.gov to retrieve a new Excelsior Vaccination Pass Plus at any time. The new version will have the updated booster information included.
See more commonly asked questions about the state's Excelsior Pass offerings here.
