The City of Chicago is instituting new rules to help control the spread of COVID-19. Everyone age five and older will be expected to prove they are fully vaccinated against the virus and those 16 and older must present identification before entering public indoor places effective Jan. 3, 2022.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot explained that although the city has distributed throughout this year, health officials continue to see a surge of COVID-19 Delta and Omicron variant cases. The health order is a necessary measure to ensure everyone can continue to enjoy the city’s amenities.
Locations requiring proof of vaccination include:
- Indoor dining establishments where food or beverages are served; restaurants, bars, fast food locations, tasting rooms, food courts, breweries, etc.
- Indoor gyms and fitness venues including recreation facilities, yoga studios, and other facilities used to conduct indoor fitness classes.
- Indoor entertainment and recreation venues where food or beverages are served. These include movie theaters, music or concert venues, bowling alleys, arcades, etc.
Patrons will be required to present their Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) issued vaccination card with the person’s name, vaccine brand, and dates administered; this can be the physical card, a photo of the card, a digital record, or app.
A printed record from the vaccine provider is also accepted. The record must be from the same jurisdiction, state, or country where the vaccine was administered.
Additionally, everyone 16 and older must provide an official document bearing their name and a photograph. Accepted identification includes a driver’s license, non-driver government ID card, passport, or school ID card.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported over 12,000 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, which is the most cases recorded in 2021.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
City of Chicago: Chicago Vaccine Requirement
Chicago 5 NBC News: Chicago to Require Vaccine Proof for Indoor Spaces Like Restaurants, Bars, Gyms
NBC Sports: Will new vaccine requirement include Bulls, Blackhawks games?
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Jernej Furman’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of City of Chicago – Used With Permission
