LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Angelenos, which patronizes indoor restaurants, gyms, entertainment and recreational facilities, personal care facilities and some municipal buildings, will technically be required to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 as of Monday – although enforcement of the new law does not will start until November 29th.
The city’s SafePassLA regulation is one of the strictest regulations of its kind in the country and covers everyone eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. Accepted forms of proof of vaccination are:
- a vaccination card issued by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or similar documentation issued by another foreign government agency;
- a photocopy of a vaccination card or photo stored on a phone or electronic device;
- a personal California state, digital COVID-19 vaccination record or similar documentation issued by another state, local or foreign government, or by a private corporation; and
- Documentation of a COVID-19 vaccination by a healthcare provider.
People who appear over the age of 18 must also identify themselves with their vaccination certificate.
On Monday, officials will begin public outreach and education about the new policy, but actual enforcement won’t start until November 29th. Companies that violate the regulation will be fined $ 1,000 for a second violation, a fine of $ 2,000 for a third violation, and a fine of $ 5,000 for a fourth and subsequent violations.
Individuals can be exempted from the mandate if they have medical conditions that limit their ability to be vaccinated or if they have “sincere religious beliefs,” according to the regulation. These exceptions need to be verified by the location the person is trying to enter.
Those exempted can use the outdoor areas of the site, but if they are not available they can enter the indoor area if they have a negative COVID-19 test performed within 72 hours.
The regulation also requires people to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend outdoor events with 5,000 or more people, which would be stricter than Los Angeles County’s requirement for outdoor events with 10,000 or more applies to more people.
Los Angeles County’s rules, which are less far-reaching than the city’s, went into effect Thursday and also require anyone working at an indoor bar, winery, brewery, nightclub, or lounge in the county to patronize or work, be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We’ve spent too much time placing restrictions on people who have done their part to get vaccinated and wear their masks. We must both limit the transmission of the virus and make unvaccinated access to indoor venues difficult and “endanger human life. The stakes are too high, “said Council President Nury Martinez during the process of approval of the regulation by the city council.
Final approval of the city’s ordinance was given by council members on October 6, by 11-2 votes.
“Vaccinating more Angelenos is our only way out of this pandemic and we must do everything in our power to keep increasing those numbers,” Garcetti said in a statement following the council vote.
“These new rules will encourage more people to get the syringe and make businesses safer for workers and customers – so we can save more lives, better protect those in need, and make our communities even safer in the fight against this pandemic.”
Los Angeles Department of Health director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday the county has seen a slight increase in COVID-19 transmission, but other metrics used to track pandemics, including the number of people hospitalized, have stabilized.
The average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 1.6% on Thursday, down from 1.2% a week ago.
The county’s vaccination rate remained largely unchanged from last week, with 80% of eligible residents 12 and over receiving at least one dose and 72% being fully vaccinated. Of every 10.3 million population, including those who are not eligible for vaccination, 69% have received a dose and 62% are fully vaccinated.
Children ages 5-11 could be shot this week, a group that includes approximately 900,000 children in Los Angeles County.
For more information on the new city rules, please visit https://ewddlacity.com/index.php/recovery/safepassla.
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