CHICAGO (CBS) – Nearly 54 percent of Chicago residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to city data, while more than 70 percent of adults in the city received their first vaccination.
Now, as CBS 2’s Marissa Parra reported on Sunday, more and more urban companies are demanding proof of vaccination prior to entry.
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These businesses include many of the bars in Chicago’s premier LGBTQ nightlife district along Halsted Street, long known as Boystown.
Junction, 3349 N. Halsted St .; Roscoe’s Tavern, 3356 N. Halsted St. and DS Tequila, 3352 N. Halsted St., all require visitors to be pampered to enjoy the benefits. Sidetrack and Roscoe’s also accept a negative COVID-19 test within the last 72 hours, but DS Tequila – among many other venues – only accepts proof of vaccination.
At both Uncommon Ground locations, 3800 N. Clark St. at Lakeview and 1401 W. Devon Ave. at Edgewater, you have the option to show proof of vaccination or wear a mask.
“Show us a vaccination card, a good picture of it on your phone or the CLEAR app,” said Michael Cameron, owner of Uncommon Ground. “If you are vaccinated, come in – eat, drink, eat, enjoy yourself.”
For Cameron, the signals were there that it was time to put up signs with some rules.
“You could kind of see it coming – you see New York doing it and then San Francisco – and then I think, all right, Chicago seems, you know, maybe a day or two later in the middle of it. Everyone is kind of talking to each other about what’s going to happen, ”Cameron said. “So we made up our mind, OK, let’s just roll it out.”
MAP: Chicago bars, restaurants, and other businesses that need a COVID-19 vaccination (if you have a supplement to make, a form can be found at this link)
Earlier this month, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that people would be required to provide proof of vaccination for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment.
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“As you hear these words, I want you to imagine that someone who is vaccinated can do all of the amazing things that are available in New York City,” said de Blasio earlier this month. “Unfortunately, if you are not vaccinated, there are many things you cannot take part in.”
Last Thursday, the Mayor of London Breed in San Francisco announced that the city would require proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for a variety of indoor activities, including entering bars, restaurants and gyms.
The mandates are similar to those given in France and Italy last month. Chicago does not currently have such a mandate on a city-wide level.
However, CBS 2 has tracked at least 49 companies checking vaccination status – but what happens after that varies. While some places like Uncommon Ground still let in unvaccinated people with a mask and others alternatively allow a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours, places like DS Tequila say no vax, no entry.
DS Tequila partially added, “The vaccine is free and has been readily available for months.”
“Ultimately, it’s like our lives and livelihoods are in danger,” said Drew Lovell, co-owner of the Bonus Round Game Café at 3230 N. Clark St.
Lovell said keeping the tables for vaccinated customers only calms the staff down – and he hopes Chicago doesn’t fall behind as a city either.
“Games are about incentivizing players to get the most points and things like that,” Lovell said. “Our vaccine mandate means that we are giving people an incentive to hopefully get vaccinated.”
All of the companies that Parra spoke to said they didn’t really get much opposition to the rules on vaccination status, but that’s probably in part because of the big signs outside warning people before they even enter.
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“We’re going to get the one in 100 that says, ‘Forget it, I’m not going to do this’ or ‘You can’t make me put on a mask,'” said Cameron. “But it’s a very small percentage. The majority of people say, ‘Oh, that’s great. Thanks a lot for this.'”