Phone? Check.
Wallet? Check.
Keys? Check.
Mask? Check.
Soon Angelenos will likely have to add one more item to their list of don’t-forget-when-leaving-home: COVID-19 vaccination card. Both the city and county government of Los Angeles are one step closer to requiring proof of vaccination in public settings.
The Los Angeles City Council today unanimously voted to have the city attorney draft an ordinance that would mandate all vaccine-eligible people to show proof that they’ve had at least one dose to enter most public indoor spaces. Those include:
- Restaurants
- Bars
- Gyms
- Spas
- Concert venues
- Movie theaters
- Sporting events/stadiums
- Retail establishments
There are still procedural and legal details to be hashed out, but LA City Attorney Mike Feuer has expressed his support for a vaccine mandate. His vision includes requiring airline passengers to show either proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID test.
The LA County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to look into options for requiring immunization proof from people for the use of certain indoor spaces. The approved motion directs county officials to report back to the board in the next two weeks on how the policy could be implemented.
Local government employees will soon have to show their vax card
LA county and city employees will soon be required to show immunization proof or weekly negative COVID tests.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously ratified an executive order for all of its 100,000-plus employees to be vaccinated or be tested weekly. Officials are still figuring out the details of how this mandate will work, and are continuing to negotiate with unions on how it’ll be enforced.
Meanwhile, since LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Council President Nury Martinez announced the vaccination requirement for all city workers last month, city department managers are working to verify vaccination status. The mayor had said he expects the verification process to be completed by August 15.
It’s not clear whether there will be consequences for local government employees who refuse to comply. But the city attorney also calls for possible suspension or termination for incompliant public employees.
Both the councty and the city will consider exemptions for medical and religious purposes.
Who else needs to be vaccinated?
School staffers across the state will have until October 15 to either prove that they are fully vaccinated or agree to be tested every week, according to a new order from the California Department of Public Health. Two teachers’ unions have already expressed their support for the new health order.
Medical workers in the state are also facing a similar mandate. Another public health order requires heath care facilities to have their paid and unpaid employees fully vaccinated by September 30. Those facilities include:
- Hospitals
- Nursing facilities
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Clinics and doctor’s offices
- Dialysis centers
- Residential substance use treatment centers
California is the first state in the nation to implement such mandates for school systems and the health care industry.
Where else do we need to bring our vaccination card?
Students, faculty and staffers at large universities will be required to submit proof of vaccination to access campus facilities and participate in in-person activities. Those schools include:
- USC
- University of California campuses, including UCLA and UCSD
- California State University campuses, including CSULA and CSUN
What if you lost the vaccination card?
You can reach out to Healthvana, an online medical data company that's teamed up with the LA County Department of Public Health on vaccine records, for any questions regarding vaccination cards.
Angelenos are also encouraged to take a picture of the front and back of their vaccination card. They are recommended to use Apple Wallet or Google Pay to store their digital proof on their phones.