San Francisco to become first US city to require vaccine proof for indoor venues

San Francisco is poised to become the first US city to demand proof of full vaccination against Covid-19 to access indoor dining and entertainment venues, officials announced Thursday.

Bars, restaurants, night clubs, theatres, fitness centres and other establishments in this large Californian city will require visitors to present vaccination certificates to enter starting Aug 20. For staff, the measure will take effect in October.

“Why are we doing this? It’s to protect the workers, it’s to protect kids, it’s to protect those who can’t get vaccinated,” Mayor London Breed said at a press conference.

She added, “We know that for our city to bounce back from the pandemic and thrive, we need to use the best method we have to fight Covid-19 and that’s vaccines.”

The rule will not affect children under 12 as they are not eligible for immunisation in the US.

Currently 77% of San Francisco’s nearly 900,000 residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 71% are fully vaccinated.

White House pandemic response coordinator Jeff Zients on Thursday spoke in favour of vaccination requirements, saying they are gaining momentum across the country.

“They will help keep people and communities safe and help stop the spread of the virus,” Zients said at a press briefing at the White House.

New York announced a similar vaccine mandate last week, requiring proof of at least one Covid shot for indoor dining and entertainment. The measure will take effect in September.

New Orleans, a popular tourist city in the state of Louisiana, is also expected to announce a vaccine mandate for indoor dining and sports activities, according to NOLA.com, a local media outlet.