4/29/2023 0 Comments Chicago in the crosshairs![]() ![]() Roger Romanelli, coordinator of the Chicago Restaurants Coalition, said restaurant owners will do their part to help control the spread of COVID-19. 21, 2021, where it was announced that proof of COVID-19 vaccine will be required for Chicago bars, restaurants and gyms starting Jan. “Businesses have stepped up in the past to keep our city safe and implement the necessary measures to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents.” Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot answers questions from the press at a City Hall press conference on Dec. “Throughout this pandemic, businesses have shown their commitment to the health and safety of their employees and patrons by strictly following public health guidelines,” Rebollar said. The city has supported local businesses navigating COVID-19 with over $115 million in aid since the start of the pandemic, said Mayor’s Office spokesperson Alejandra Flores Rebollar. I think this will give comfort not only to the patrons, business owners, but also to employees.” “Frankly, a lot of our restaurants and other venues are asking us to do this. “I think we’re not gonna have any difficulty enforcing it,” Lightfoot said. City business investigators will check to make sure signs are posted and that businesses have a plan for what employees are supposed to do and are following it. Lightfoot did not give a timeline for how long the requirements will be in place. People 16 and older will also have to provide an ID that matches their vaccination record.īesides restaurants, bars, gyms and venues, vaccine cards also must be checked at coffee shops, food courts, dining areas of grocery stores, movie theaters, sports arenas, bowling alleys and several other places. The city’s business department has also held webinars to provide guidance on the requirement to affected businesses.Įveryone 5 and older must show proof of full vaccination at eligible businesses and establishments. When asked last week why the city is waiting until Monday for the vaccine proof requirement to start, Lightfoot said officials wanted to give restaurants time to comply. The majority of the severe cases and deaths have been in people who are not fully vaccinated, officials have said. Local officials expect those numbers to worsen after the holidays. The requirement comes as Chicago and Illinois record a sharp uptick in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. “I think the restaurants have been in the crosshairs this entire pandemic.” A patron picks up a face mask after the bouncer checked an ID card at Sluggers World Class Sports Bar on Clark Street in Wrigleyville. It’s not something that I had in my budget when trying to figure out how to cover my operating expenses,” Mary Kay Tuzi, owner of Twin Anchors in Old Town Triangle, said at the news conference. “I don’t have any people on staff to do this. 15 deadlines for restaurants to start checking cards. The mayors of Boston and Washington, D.C., also have set Jan. 15 to meet the requirement and requested more public dollars for restaurants. In a letter sent to City Hall, group members asked to have until Jan. They also said the requirement burdens a struggling industry that cannot afford more expenses without added governmental support. Some said they don’t have enough employees to ensure someone is checking the cards, don’t have time to train for the policy or haven’t gotten guidance from the city or police on how to deal with customers who refuse to comply. ![]() Members of the Chicago Restaurants Coalition, speaking at a Monday news conference, said two weeks’ notice during the height of the holiday season is not enough time to prepare. 21 that Chicago businesses where people participate in indoor, leisure activities - including restaurants, bars, gyms and event venues - will have to verify their customers are fully vaccinated starting Monday. CHICAGO - A group of about 30 restaurants want Mayor Lori Lightfoot to postpone a requirement for indoor businesses to check patrons’ vaccination status as Chicago battles another wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
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