Los Angeles will expand the nation’s already strictest vaccine mandates as the city add several midsize venues to its list of places that require proof of vaccination to enter.
SafePassLA is a new vaccine program that will allow the city to expand its mandate to cover indoor and outdoor locations with between 5 000 to 9999 participants. It launches Monday.
Beginning November 29, officials will start enforcement in the impacted locations, including museums, concert halls and convention centres, to allow necessary areas to adjust.
In October, the City of Los Angeles began to require patrons to be fully vaccinated to enter the indoor portions of food establishments, gyms, entertainment and recreational locations, personal care establishments, and certain outdoor events.
The vaccine mandate is expanding as LA fears a fifth wave of Covid as new cases began inching up in October following a sharp decline from August’s peak driven by the Delta variant.
Los Angeles will expand their vaccine mandate requiring patrons to show proof of vaccine to enter most indoor establishments and outdoor events with 5,000 to 9,999 attendees
SafePassLA will start on Monday and be fully enforced on November 29 becoming one of the strictest vaccine mandates in the country
The LA City Council voted 11-2 to pass the ordinance last month requiring children 12 and older to be fully vaccinated to enter certain locations.
People with exemptions or religious beliefs from vaccines will need to submit to a negative Covid testing within 72 hours. Non-vaccinated customers will have the right to enter outdoor facilities. They can also use the restrooms or order items.
The mandate may not apply to non-residents who perform as an artist or are professional athletes/sports teams, or those they accompany.
The first offense is a warning. Recurring offenses can result in fines of up to $1,000.
‘We’ve spent too much time placing restrictions on people who did their part by getting vaccinated and wearing their masks,’ Council President Nury Martinez said during the City Council’s process approving the ordinance.
“We must both reduce the spread of the virus and make it difficult for people who have not been vaccinated to get indoor facilities. This will put their lives in danger. These are very serious issues.
Public health officials in LA state say that 72 percent of the population over 12 years old are fully immunized.
The county has seen its highest number of daily cases since September and the new infection rate is up by 20-40% in the last week.
Los Angeles has seen a spike in covid cases following a dramatic decline of the Delta type.
Los Angeles’s Covid hospitalizations have increased since October
About 72 percent of those 12-years-old and up are fully vaccinated in Los Angeles
Eric Garcetti from Los Angeles was tested for the coronavirus while attending the United Nations conference on climate change. Garcetti hopes this mandate will improve the vaccine rate and increase safety for customers, employees, and contractors.
Garcetti stated that vaccinating more Angelenos was the only way to end this pandemic. He also said, “We must continue pushing those numbers up.”
He added: ‘These new rules will encourage more people to get the shot, and make businesses safer for workers and customers — so that we can save more lives, better protect the vulnerable and make our communities even safer as we fight this pandemic.’
David Gross, a yoga studio owner, is one example of a business owner who has been relieved from the mandate, which removes the burden to set Covid limits on each business owner.
Gross regards the mandate to be one less thing he has to decide with his partner Lydia Stone as they help Highland Park Yoga return to regular classes. But he is worried of the monetary consequences for violating the law which ‘would be hugely detrimental’ to a yoga business that is barely surviving after being shut down for the bulk of the pandemic.
Other business owners, including nail salon manager Lucila Vazquez, are worried the strict vaccine mandate will make them lose customers.
Vazquez explained that this was going to be tough for them. Vazquez said that many customers have told her that they will not continue to visit the salon if they are required to receive vaccinations.
LA, which is second in population, has been forced to show proof that they have received vaccinations.