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Los Angeles will consider a proposal to require proof of COVID-19 inoculation as a condition of entry into a multitude of indoor public spaces in what, if passed, would be the vaccination verification effort on wider to date in the city.
Movement, presented on Wednesday by board chairman Nury Martinez and board member Mitch O’Farrell, would require eligible people to demonstrate that they have received at least one dose of vaccination to visit indoor locations such as restaurants, bars, retail stores, gyms, spas, movie theaters, stadiums and concert halls.
“Enough is enough already,” Martinez said in a statement. “Hospital workers are exhausted, mothers who have put their careers aside are tired and our children cannot afford to waste another school year. We have three vaccines that work and are readily available, so what will it take? Our children are about to go back to school and the unvaccinated put their lives at risk every day. Ask your questions, talk to your doctor and get vaccinated. Let’s leave that behind.
New York City officials said on Tuesday they would be implementing similar vaccination verification requirements. And LA City Atty. Mike Feuer, a mayoral candidate, wrote a letter the same day urging county officials to also require proof of vaccination to go to the gym, eat at a restaurant or attend an indoor performance.
“Hardworking Angelenos, their customers and the general public deserve to be safe in public spaces,” O’Farrell said in a statement. “Vaccines are our most effective form of protection, and the time to act is now. “
The move comes as more public agencies and private sector companies as well as retailers and restaurants also begin to require proof of vaccination status from employees or customers.
Two Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday proposed a requirement for vaccination checks for more than 100,000 public servants, a day after health giant Kaiser Permanente announced it was making vaccinations mandatory for all employees and doctors because nearly a quarter of its 240,000 employees have still not been vaccinated.
So far, California has not implemented the type of blanket vaccination check now scheduled in New York City, where authorities said on Tuesday they would require proof of vaccination status to enter gyms, indoor entertainment venues and restaurants.
When asked about the New York decision, the California Department of Public Health responded, “California has led the way in requiring vaccine checks from state and health care workers and continues to encourage local governments and businesses to follow suit. State directives allow community leaders to set rules based on local conditions.
LA County also does not require proof of vaccination for customers to enter specific businesses at this point, although public health officials added in a statement Tuesday that they “applaud companies that assess risks to their employees and customers and add layers of protection, including the requirement for proof of vaccination.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti “always listens to the advice of county public health experts on these matters, and no such mandate is recommended or planned at this time,” according to spokesman Alex Comisar.
“But with the rapid increase in cases and hospitalizations, we are not taking anything off the table,” Comisar said. “The mayor strongly urges everyone to get vaccinated and supports companies that take steps to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. “
Here are some early indications that vaccination requirements might work.
From July 25 to 31, providers across California administered an average of nearly 44,000 first doses of the vaccine per day, according to data compiled by The Times.
This is a notable increase from the previous week, when an average of about 37,300 first doses were dispensed daily; and a 41% increase from two weeks ago, when the average was just below 31,100.
These figures cover both those who received their initial dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine or the Johnson & Johnson single injection vaccine.
However, California’s vaccination rate is still far from its spring peak. In the week of April 4-10, for example, providers administered about 251,000 first doses per day, on average.
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