Strictest vaccine mandate in US takes effect in Los Angeles
By Xinhua
LOS ANGELES -- One of the strictest COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the United States took effect in the City of Los Angeles on Monday, requiring proof of full vaccination to enter certain indoor public locations, large events, and city buildings.
Los Angeles is now requiring proof of full COVID-19 vaccination to enter the indoor portions of food establishments, including restaurants, bars, coffee shops, brewery, winery, food courts, hotel ballrooms, shopping centers, movie theaters, music and concert venues, museums, spas, nail salons, hair salons, gyms and fitness venues as well as certain city facilities and other locations.
Outdoor events with over 5,000 attendees are also included. For these events, attendees are permitted to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of entry in lieu of proof of vaccination.
The sweeping measure was approved by the City Council and signed by Mayor Eric Garcetti last month.
Officials said that enforcement of the ordinance will begin Nov. 29. An operator of a covered location or outdoor large event may be issued a citation for violation and shall be subject to administrative fines starting at 1,000 U.S. dollars and topping out at 5,000 dollars for a fourth and each subsequent violation.
The Los Angeles Times, the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, reported that "the requirement is significantly broader than the rules that have been in place in wider L.A. County for the past month." City officials noted in the ordinance that "the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant challenge in the City of Los Angeles, particularly in light of the highly contagious Delta variant." "If there is not a significant increase in vaccination coverage, local health experts warn that there will be a cycle of repeated surges every few months. The City has an interest in increasing vaccination rates which, in turn, will help stem the spread of COVID-19 and protect its residents against a disease that threatens the health, safety, and wellbeing of everyone," explained officials.
The city is the seat of Los Angeles County, which is the nation's most populous county with over 10 million residents. Once a pandemic epicenter in the nation, the county's case rates have dropped dramatically since late August. But local public health officials noted earlier this month that transmission is still "substantial" in the county.
Mayor Garcetti confirmed last week that he had tested positive for COVID-19 while in Glasgow, Scotland, during the United Nations climate conference.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 80 percent of county residents 12 and older have received at least one vaccine dose. Los Angeles County public health officials on Sunday confirmed 10 new deaths and 1,153 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 1,502,676 with 26,750 related deaths.