San Francisco mandates proof of vaccination when indoors | Bay Space
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – San Francisco requires proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 for a range of indoor activities such as visiting restaurants, bars and gyms, Mayor London Breed announced on Thursday.
“Many San Francisco companies are already pioneering the need to provide proof of vaccination for their customers because they care about the health of their employees, their customers and this city,” Breed said in a statement.
The mandate will be stricter than the requirement announced by New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio last week. San Francisco requires proof of a full vaccination for all customers and employees, while New York requires proof of at least one vaccination for indoor activities.
It goes into effect next Friday, but companies have two months to review employees’ vaccination status “to keep jobs while giving time to comply”.
In addition to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s paper cards that people receive when they are vaccinated, California has created an online record with a barcode that vaccinated people can use to prove their status.
Los Angeles is considering a similar move that requires people to receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before visiting indoor restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters, and other venues. The city guides there voted on Wednesday to instruct the city’s lawyers to work out the details.
The announcement comes a day after Governor Gavin Newsom said that all public and private school workers in California must provide proof of vaccination or undergo weekly tests.
Breed announced the mandate Thursday at the historic Vesuvio Cafe in North Beach, a favorite haunt of beat poets. Since July 20, the café has been asking indoor visitors to provide proof of vaccination.
“Most people were really happy that we had started the policy. It took patience from everyone. So the people who were impatient or who didn’t like the policy just left, ”said Vesuvio co-owner Janet Clyde.
“Having the weight of the government on your back, the science, the health department,” she said, makes enforcement easier.
Thursday’s ordinance extends the existing vaccination requirement for health care workers to other health care providers such as adult daycare workers, dormitories, dental practices and pharmacies.
