COVID-19 vaccine proof for Los Angeles businesses: what you need to know

The white card you received when you received your COVID-19 vaccine – one that may or may not fit in your wallet – becomes as essential as a ticket or ID to enter certain LA bars and other venues .

Business owners have started requiring proof of vaccination to enter, as LA County and the City of Los Angeles move closer to more universal policies. The West Hollywood Conservatory was one of the first restaurants in LA County to request proof of vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of visiting. Several theaters and orchestras in LA have announced that members of the public will need to be fully immunized to attend concerts in October.

But so far, these efforts have been left to individual companies. The city and county of Los Angeles do not yet have a vaccination mandate.

In early August, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors asked the county public health department to explore and report on options for certain indoor public spaces; whether a warrant should require a full dose or vaccination; a process of how people can prove their immunization status and how companies can verify it.

At a press conference on August 12, Barbara Ferrer, county public health director, said she expressed gratitude to companies that have implemented mandates, especially in high-risk environments where people do not wear face coverings for long periods of time or where they are in close contact. She added that from a public health point of view, this “makes a lot of sense.”

The supervisory board decided to suspend implementation of a vaccine mandate at its meeting on Tuesday. California lawmakers have also, for now, abandoned legislation requiring vaccinations.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles City Council voted last month to have its attorney draft a vaccine warrant ordinance that requires at least one dose to enter indoor spaces such as restaurants, bars, gyms, etc. spas, concert halls, cinemas, sporting events (including stadiums) and retail businesses. The project will have to undergo legal and procedural obstacles before it can be enacted.

In the meantime, it doesn’t hurt to have your vaccination record with you. If you don’t want to fold your card to fit your wallet or pants pocket, here are a few options.

Types of vaccination records

To begin with, do not call the vaccination card a vaccination passport. It’s a medical record, so treat it as such by keeping it in a safe place and where you can access it when needed.

You can choose to have your vaccination record in your wallet, bag or backpack in case proof of vaccination is required. If you want to keep the original recording at home or if you want to replace a missing recording, you can request a digital copy. (Do not laminate your map. Laminating will prevent it from being updated – in case you get a reminder.)

There are three types of official vaccination records.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 vaccination card (white paper card). You received this card when you received your vaccine.
• California Department of Public Health COVID-19 digital record. Anyone vaccinated in California can request this digital record. It takes less than a minute to complete the request and your file is sent by email or SMS. You can take a screenshot of the recording, print it, or save it to Google Play if you have Android version 5 or higher. An Apple Wallet version is not yet available. In addition to the digital record, you will receive a QR code that will make your digital COVID vaccination record readable by a QR scanner.
• California Immunization Registry (CAIR), a statewide immunization system for California residents, is another way to get a digital or physical copy of your record. You can get a copy of the vaccination record by asking your doctor for a copy of the CAIR or request a copy directly by filling out a “release authorization form” and uploading a scan or photo of an official ID current with photo.

How to present proof of vaccination

When you visit a restaurant or business that requests proof of vaccination, you have several options when submitting your medical record.

You can have your white vaccine card handy or a photo of the card saved on your mobile phone. A screenshot of the California Public Health digital record or CAIR record on your phone is also accepted.

Some establishments also require a valid identity document to verify the vaccination record.

Ramin Bastani, CEO of Healthvana, Inc., partnered with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in December 2020 to provide another digital option to get your immunization record.

If you have received at least one dose of the vaccine in LA County, you will receive an email and text from Healthvana with a secure link. By clicking on the link, you will be asked to enter your first and last name as well as your date of birth to confirm your identity. After being verified, you will have access to your digital vaccination record and have the option to upload it to a digital wallet (Apple or Google).

In 2015, Healthvana provided tens of millions of HIV test results to patients across the United States electronically. Bastani said that just as it helps people access HIV test results through their phones or computers, it helps accessibility of immunization records.

“What we’ve been for as a company is to empower and empower people with their own health information at their fingertips,” he said.

What to expect

Peter Alexander, owner of Akbar in Silver Lake, said the bar’s goal has always been to create a “safe and sheltered home base for creative, inclusive, and East-West LGBTQI + types. ‘Hollywood, their friends and families’.

To stay on track with his mission, Alexander and his co-owner, Scott Craig, made the decision to implement a proof of vaccination policy on July 21.

“With the increase in breakthrough infections, we were concerned for the safety of our staff and customers,” he said. “After everything we’ve been through to survive, we’re not going to risk our health to serve you a cocktail.”

Akbar and Idle Hour in North Hollywood both require full proof of vaccination and do so by accepting a photo of the vaccination card, the physical card, or a digital version on a mobile phone with a corresponding valid ID. They treat the verification of the validity of the vaccination card as they would with a California driver’s license to sell alcohol to a customer.

Idle Hour will also accept a negative COVID test result that was taken within 72 hours of the visit.

The two recognize that the process is not foolproof, but said it is the best they can do to provide a safe and comfortable space for all.

Idle Hour owner Dimitri Komarov said his staff were happy with the new policy – he established it in early August – and a majority of his customers were also in favor.

Early in the implementation of the new policy, however, Idle Hour encountered objections in person and online. Komarov said anti-vaccine protesters gathered outside his bar and called his staff Nazis. The Yelp page for Idle Hour has been temporarily disabled after many negative reviews and a star on the new vaccination policy.

But, said Komarov, his institution’s mission is to create a community space for people to have a drink, a meal and each other; that the vaccination policy allows it.

“We thought that by creating this type of policy, it would help people who are afraid to venture out to feel more secure,” Komarov said.

Alexander, of Akbar, said the policy was now normal for his clients. He has received comments that customers feel safer going to the bar knowing there is someone at the door asking for proof of vaccination.