Anyone planning on going to a sporting event or live performance in Newark may have to prove that they have the COVID-19 vaccine, under a proposal by Mayor Ras Baraka.

The Prudential Center started allowing a limited number of fans back into their stands in March. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center will resume in-person, socially distant shows in June. As New Jersey gets back to normal, Baraka signed an executive order that included a request for large venues in the city to implement a mandatory vaccine policy for patrons.

NJPAC stated in April that it would require patrons to show proof of vaccination or at least a negative COVID test once performances resume. News 12 New Jersey asked if vaccination would be mandatory, but no one from the center responded to requests for comment.

News 12 did find an NJPAC employee who admitted to being pro-vaccine for entry.

“I think it's a great idea because we're trying to keep everybody safe. The employees will have to be vaccinated probably and artists coming in will have to be vaccinated; it will be in people's contracts. I think it's a good thing, it's a safe thing and we should all do it,” the employee says.

But not all Newark residents were open to the idea. One woman tells News 12 that if venues start requiring proof of the vaccine, she will take her business elsewhere.

“That's just money that they won't have. I don't feel that it should be mandated for us to get a vaccination if we don't agree with that,” she says. “I think it should be left up to each individual whether or not to be vaccinated.”

Mayor Baraka was not available to comment on this story. It is not yet clear how the suggestion to the large venues will be implemented. It is especially unclear how it will relate to events geared toward children since children under the age of 12 are not yet eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.