Following New York City’s vaccine mandate for indoor venues and restaurants, the second largest city in the country (by population), Los Angeles, will be implementing a similar rule. Passed on October 6th and in effect November 4th, the mandate will require those attending indoor concerts to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Indoor Events, Restaurants, Gyms, Malls, and More Will Require Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination to Enter
Additionally, this mandate includes movie theaters, gyms, restaurants, coffees shops, malls, nail salons, and more. The law will stay in effect until the city lifts its emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a step up from the state’s recent mandate of vaccination proof or negative tests for indoor events.
Harrison Wollman, Press Secretary of Mayor Eric Garcetti, made a statement:
“These new rules will encourage more people to get the shot, and make businesses safe 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.”
Photo by Steven Cornfield on Unsplash
Businesses that Don’t Comply will Face Fines
Businesses will have time to adapt to the new policy being put in place. Though the mandate begins on November 4th, fines will not be able to be issued until November 29th.
Those in violation for the first time will receive a warning. Those with repeated offenses will face hefty fines. The second violation will result in a $1,000 fine, while the fourth and any further violations will result in a $5,000 fine each.
Councilman Paul Kortez said:
“I know that I would personally take pause when walking into a restaurant that had been warned or cited for violations, so I think this would have an impact.”
Exemptions will be allowed for religious or medical reasons. However, those with an exemption will still be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or will have to use outdoor areas.
This Comes Around the Same Time LAPD Employees Will be Required to be Vaccinated, While 40% Still Remain Not Vaxxed
On October 20th, all Los Angeles Police Department employees will be required to be vaccinated under a citywide mandate. According to Rolling Stone, nearly 40% of LAPD employees have still not gotten vaccinated, with many refusing to. Though LA Sheriff Villanueva, who oversees roughly 18,000 employees, states that he refuses to enforce the mandate in his department.
Photo by Matt Popovich on Unsplash
Others Cities, Companies, and Events Have Put Similar Policies Into Place
This mandate comes after New York City began requiring proof of vaccination for most indoor activities and places including venues and restaurants. Many event companies and individual venues have also announced similar policies, including AEG Presents and Live Nation.
