City Council President Nury Martinez introduced a motion today asking the City Council and City Attorney to draft an ordinance that would require people to have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to enter indoor public spaces. According to the motion, that includes (but isn’t limited to) restaurants, bars, retail establishments, fitness centers, spas, stadiums, concert venues, and movie theaters.
Today I introduced legislation with @MitchOFarrell to require proof of COVID vaccination to enter indoor public spaces throughout the City of LA.
So many Angelenos stepped up and did their part. They shouldn't be penalized with closures by those unwilling to do theirs. pic.twitter.com/ebj0phJ5wZ
— Nury Martinez (@CD6Nury) August 4, 2021
“Enough is enough already,” Martinez said in a statement. “Hospital workers are exhausted, moms who have put aside their careers are tired, and our kids cannot afford the loss of another school year. We have three vaccines that work and are readily available, so what’s it going to take?”
“Hard-working Angelenos, their customers, and the general public deserve to be safe in public spaces,” Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, who co-introduced the motion, said in a statement. “The vaccines are our most effective form of protection, and the time to act is now.”
Los Angeles has been on a crash course with disaster since the more virulent Delta variant reared its head. As of late July, the Delta variant had overwhelmed all others in L.A. County, accounting for more than 90 percent of all positive tests, according to county officials. In June, 20 percent of COVID cases were so-called breakthrough cases among people who are fully vaccinated, while 80 percent were among people who are partially vaccinated or not vaccinated. In breakthrough cases, the vaccine has been effective in preventing serious illness.
On Tuesday, City Attorney Mike Feuer—who is also running for mayor—called on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors “to require proof of vaccination for certain indoor activities, including dining in restaurants, exercising in gyms and attending public performances and events,” pointing to a similar measure that was approved in New York City. County Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Janice Hahn have said they’re in favor of a county-wide measure.
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