CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- With coronavirus infections increasing, the City of Chicago will soon require proof of COVID vaccination for people who want to eat inside restaurants and take part in several other indoor activities in Chicago.
Mayor Lightfoot outlined the new restrictions that are similar to precautions in place in some other big cities, like New York and San Francisco.
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"Beginning Jan. 3, you must show proof of vaccination - whether it's your actual card, whether it's a photograph, whether it is something on your phone, but you must show proof to enter bars, restaurants, fitness centers, and entertainment or recreational venues where food or drink are served," Lightfoot said.
There’s no choice, she said.
"We have upticks in our metrics that we follow closely - positivity rate, cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. In fact, we are now averaging over 1,700 new COVID cases in Chicago residents every single day," Lightfoot said.
Places of worship and schools will be exempt from the rules, and people who work at the affected establishments can show proof of a negative COVID test.
"Some will ask, 'how long will these conditions last?' Or, 'will there be more extreme mitigation measure imposed?' The answer lies with the unvaccinated," Lightfoot said.
The Mayor acknowledged that this will be very inconvenient for the unvaccinated and she said that’s by design.
Meanwhile, local health officials at the Mayor’s announcement all said the surge in coronavirus cases across the nation and the Omicron variant threaten to overwhelm hospital systems.
Asked what the next steps will be taken if COVID cases threaten to overwhelm the health system, Lightfoot wouldn’t say. She said she's describing steps that must be taken now, and doesn't want to talk about things she hopes will not be necessary.
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