Starting next month, Los Angeles is joining a growing number of cities that are establishing “vaccinated-only” admissions to various social venues.
Under the new order, customers and workers at what health officials call “high-risk [of getting or transmitting COVID] settings,” such as indoor bars, nightclubs, wineries, breweries and lounges, will have to show proof of at least one jab by October 7 and full vaccination by November 4, according to a press release issued Thursday by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
According to the release, the Public Health will assist businesses in establishing a vaccination verification system and will provide “education and support to those establishments requesting assistance.” Presumably, this means the businesses will be allowed access to the county vaccination database, which will help them confirm the presented “vaccine passport” is legit. It is provided that while “not required,” vaccine verification at indoor portions of restaurants is recommended.
The order will also mandate that the participants and staff at outdoor “mega events” with more than 10,000 attendees will need to provide proof of vaccination or show that they’ve recently tested negative for COVID, starting Oct. 7. That requirement is already in place for indoor events of at least 1,000 people.
The department states that the move is “urgently needed” to reduce COVID transmission risk and increase vaccination coverage in the county.
Is the vaccination rate of L.A. Country low? Not at all. According to the official numbers, 82 percent of senior residents are fully vaccinated, and 91 received at least one dose. 67 percent of the county residents who are 12 and older are fully vaccinated, and 76 percent have been jabbed at least once. It certainly doesn’t look like Los Angeles Country is not already “protected” enough. That is, if we assume that vaccines indeed protect from the virus, which they actually don’t. Per the CDC, vaccinated people still get sick with COVID and transmit it to others since the viral load they may carry is “similar” to that of the unvaxxed, which makes L.A.’s upcoming order useless in terms of curbing transmission.
In addition to that, more than 1.4 million people in L.A. County have contracted COVID, meaning they have a natural immunity against the infection that is stronger and more durable than that of any vaccine. In terms of COVID transmission, it is much safer to be around those who recovered from COVID than around those who received a shot. Yet the L.A. Department of Health did not bother to include those with COVID antibodies to the “you-are-allowed-to-get-back-to-normal” list.
Race-wise, those who will be prohibited entry to the venues and events are 49 percent of the L.A. black residents, 40 percent of Hispanics, 30 percent of white people, and 20 percent of Asians.
Despite the county seeing a drop in cases, hospitalizations and deaths, however loosely they may be counted, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer fears that if the county does not ramp up its vaccination pace, then it would face “an endless cycle” of COVID surges as the fall and winter approach. Ferrer expressed confidence that businesses will comply with the order.
Ferrer added that the policy — which is nothing but an implementation of the “vaccine passports” — is a “reasonable way forward that enables us to break the cycle of bounce.” However, this is improbable since the coronavirus is set to become endemic, meaning it is here to stay. And, like all of the viruses do, it will always try to infect those with weakened immune systems. The sound advice to beat it, perhaps surprisingly, belongs to Dr. Anthony Fauci circa 2019, who recommended a healthy diet, exercise, no smoking, no or very moderate drinking, and good sleep. But suggesting such an approach in 2021 may get one’s name on the “conspiracy theorists” list and get purged from social media.
Sure enough, the county’s current mask mandate requiring everyone older than two, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings in all indoor public settings will remain in place.
According to the Los Angeles Times report, the order will affect all areas of L.A. County except Long Beach and Pasadena, which are guided by their own public health departments.
However, the order will not be as expansive as public health orders in some other parts of California.
Per the outlet:
“San Francisco and Berkeley require customers 12 and older in indoor restaurants, bars and gyms to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. Contra Costa County, the Bay Area’s third most populous, has ordered those customers to show either proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test result. Palm Springs and neighboring Cathedral City have ordered patrons 12 and older to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test to enter indoor restaurants and bars.”
The once-Golden state and Los Angeles area have already mandated vaccines in some instances.
California currently requires that state workers, healthcare workers and public-school teachers and staff be vaccinated or get regularly tested for COVID. At least one local sheriff vowed not to impose the mandate on his department.
Last month, Los Angeles City Council approved requirements that city employees be vaccinated, which was met with a strong opposition from local law enforcement and firefighters.
Last week, the Los Angeles Unified public school district adopted rules requiring that all students 12 years or older be vaccinated.
