The surge in COVID-19 cases has caused State and Governmental mask and vaccine mandates to be reinstated and heavily enforced. Sometime during the week of Sept. 20, 2021, the city of Chicago cited five establishments for violating Illinois’s mask mandate.
Back on August 20, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) re-instituted its mask mandates for all individuals aged 2 and up in an indoor public setting. This mandate is for everyone regardless of their vaccination status.
CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwdy, M.D. explained that the Delta variant has caused “[COVID-19] case rates to increase, now is the time to re-institute this measure to prevent further spread and save lives,” when the mandate was re-instated.
Indoor public settings include restaurants, bars, gyms, private clubs, common areas of condominiums, and multi-residential buildings. Just like the previous mask mandates, face coverings can be removed at eating and drinking establishments when an individual is actively drinking and eating.
The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) Acting Commissioner Kenneth Meyer acknowledged that the city’s “businesses have stepped up repeatedly to keep their” employees and patrons safe.
He further stated, “We must once more do what is necessary to save lives. Chicagoans need to continue to follow the public health guidance-getting vaccinated, staying home when sick, and wearing masks.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also instituted COVID-19 vaccine mandates in August. These mandates affected employees in the health care sector, as well as, all pre-k through college educators and college students.
Monday, August 23, marked the first-day teachers all across the state were required to show proof they were vaccinated or submit to weekly virus tests.
Around September 10, a group of Chicago Alderman called upon the CDPH to establish a vaccine mandate for indoor public settings. For example, movie theaters, restaurants, and gyms. The CDPH responded:
Our goal as a City is that Chicago remain[s] both open and safe, and at this point we remain in good control of COVID compared to most of the rest of the country. We require masks for everyone age 2 and over in all indoor public settings and are in communication with the business community on other mitigation measures they can take to slow transmission and keep Chicagoans safe. We will continue to monitor locations around the country and the world that have put vaccine requirements for certain businesses in place, as well as the results of those requirements. Many businesses and settings in the Chicago area have already made the choice to require proof of vaccination and we strongly support them. We continue to monitor the data daily and will adapt public health guidance as appropriate, as we have throughout the pandemic.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has expressed her gratitude to ” those businesses and venues that are requiring vaccination proof or a negative test in order to get admittance.”
The city has since been monitoring and ensuring businesses have been following through with the face-covering mandates. This lead to the city issuing citations to the Umbrella Social Club, Roc Bar, Flashes Dance Club, Le Bounce on West Chicago, and a Dunkin Donuts on East 87th.
The city will continue to ensure its citizen’s safety by monitoring COVID-19 cases and businesses; to bring the possibility of ending further spread of the virus.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
ABC 7 Chicago: Chicago cites Dunkin Donuts, 4 other businesses for violating mask mandate
Chicago: Public Health
The Center Square: With Pritzker’s vaccine mandate, new focus on Illinois ‘Right of Conscience’ act; by Greg Bishop
ABC 7 Chicago: Group of Chicago aldermen want mandatory COVID vaccines for public spaces; by Jessica D’Onofrio, Craig Wall, and Maher Kawash
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Adam Courtemanche’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of duncan c’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
