The city’s likely next mayor scrolled through his phone for over five minutes struggling to find proof that he’s been vaccinated against the coronavirus — before he could get in to his own press conference.
“You don’t mind a photo of it, right?” Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams asked a security guard outside the NYC College of Technology Wednesday where the Brooklyn borough president was scheduled to speak about cybersecurity.
“I’m just finding my photo of my vaccination card,” Adams told CUNY Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez who approached him a couple minutes into the awkward ordeal.
Finally Adams made a phone call to his office when he couldn’t find the record.
“Did I send you a photo of my vax card? I don’t know why it isn’t on my phone” Adams told the staffer.
A full 5 minutes and 30 seconds after he arrived at the downtown Brooklyn college, he gained entry to the event when he finally got proof that he’d received his shots.
If Adams had signed up for one of two New York apps that serve as digital vaccine passports he could have avoided the wait. The state offers the free COVID-19 Vaccination Excelsior Pass while the city has its own version, the NYC COVID Safe app.
A press release from Adams’ Borough Hall office sent Tuesday night advised reporters that they had to show proof of vaccination or a recent COVID-19 test to attend.
GOP mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa, who will face off against Adams in the November general election that heavily favors Democrats, admitted to The Post that he’s also not signed up for one of the apps.
“I don’t put it on my phone. I’m old school. I’m a Luddite,” Sliwa said.
Instead he carries the paper vaccination card in his wallet.