Los Angeles (LA) City Council passed an ordinance on Oct. 6 that requires people to show proof of their full COVID-19 vaccination before entering indoor restaurants, bars, gyms, shopping centers, entertainment venues, and personal care establishments.

The mandate passed with a vote in the council of 11-2, with council members John Lee and Joe Busacino disapproving. 

“Vaccinating more Angelenos is our only way out of this pandemic, and we must do everything in our power to keep pushing those numbers up. These new rules will encourage more people to get the shot, and make businesses safer for workers and customers — so that we can save more lives, better protect the vulnerable, and make our communities even safer as we fight this pandemic,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti, who was expected to sign the ordinance on Oct. 6.

In a statement, a week before Oct. 6, Council President Nury Martinez said that too much focus has been placed on restrictions for those who are vaccinated and wearing their masks. Instead, they need to both limit the transmission of the virus and make it inconvenient for unvaccinated people to access indoor venues and put lives at risk.

According to Martinez, businesses will start checking vaccination status on Nov. 4, and full enforcement of the mandate for all spaces will begin on Nov. 29. 

The ordinance applies to establishments that serve food or beverages, gyms and fitness venues, and entertainment and recreation venues like movie theaters, shopping centers, personal care establishments. However, retail establishments, including grocery stores and pharmacies, are not included in the ordinance.

The Chief Legislative Analyst told council members on Sept. 29 that the city does not have a department chosen to enforce the ordinance, but identified the Department of Building and Safety as the most relevant. Unfortunately, that department doesn’t have the staffing to enforce the law.

Enforcement of compliance would begin Nov. 29, and businesses that violate the ordinance would be given a warning for their first violation, a $1000 fine for its second violation, a $2000 fine for a third violation, and a $5000 fine for a fourth violation.

People exempt from the mandate include those who have medical conditions that restrict their ability to get vaccinated or a “sincerely held religious belief,” which will be reviewed by the location the person is trying to enter.

Those who are exempt would be able to use the outdoor areas of the location, but if that is unavailable, they can provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter the indoor area.

To attend an outdoor event with 5,000 or more people, the ordinance requires the attendees to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Compared to the LA Country requirement, this is stricter since the LA County requirement applies to outdoor events with 10,000 or more people.

As the rate of COVID-19 transmission continues to decline and vaccination numbers are gradually climbing, likely boosted by the current and upcoming vaccination requirements, a debate over the mask mandate has arisen.

LA County’s Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said on Oct. 5 that she can foresee a time when residents will no longer have to wear masks in most indoor settings. However, dropping the county’s mask-wearing mandate will depend on the drops in transmission, more widespread vaccinations, and the absence of potentially more virulent strains of the coronavirus.

Although LA County continues to see falling numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations and other metrics, the pace of residents being vaccinated remains relatively still. Ferrer has warned that the pandemic will only end if that pace quickens.

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