San Francisco Mayor London Breed has issued a vaccination mandate to enter indoor venues in the city, as Associated Press reports. The announcement made on Thursday requires proof of full vaccination at indoor restaurants, bars, gyms and entertainment venues. The news comes in the wake of growing concern over the highly contagious Delta variant, which experts cite as the reason Covid-19 cases are on the rise across the U.S.
“This is to protect kids, is to protect those who can’t get vaccinated, is to make sure that we don’t go backwards, is to make sure that I never have to get up in front of you and say, ‘I’m sorry, I know we just reopened and now the city is closed again because we are seeing too many people die,’” Breed said.
While New York Mayor Bill de Blasio also mandated vaccinations for indoor events last week, that city’s requirements allow for only one dose of the vaccination. In San Francisco, the full dose (which includes two shots for Moderna and Pfizer) must be met in order to enter indoor venues. New York’s mandate goes into effect on August 16th, while San Francisco’s begins on August 20th.
However, San Francisco businesses will also have some wiggle room when it comes to vaccinated employees, extending the timeline for two months “to preserve jobs while giving time for compliance.” The mandate will not apply to people ineligible for vaccines, including children under 12.
Breed said the mandate’s goal is to raise the city’s vaccination rate, which is at 78-percent of the eligible population to date.
The state of California already requires all teachers and school staff to be vaccinated or undergo weekly Covid-19 testing, which Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday. Newsom previously mandated that all health care workers must be fully vaccinated and required that all state employees get vaccinated or choose weekly testing.