PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Starting Monday, people must provide proof of vaccine or some exemption to eat inside Philadelphia restaurants. Preparations are underway so the new rules are adopted smoothly.
Thirty percent of Philly restaurants already require proof of COVID-19 vaccine to eat inside, so health department spokesperson Jim Garrow said they have a template to follow.
“We’ve made resources available to restaurants on how to make sure a vaccine record is a true record, and we’re in the process of putting together materials on how to deal with people who may push back against them,” he said.
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Ben Fileccia, Philadelphia director of operations and strategy for the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said restaurateurs still have a lot of questions that the materials don’t answer, but they are generally supportive of the mandate.
“These restaurants just really want to do what’s best for them and the community,” he said, “and they want to make sure they’re doing things right, so we’re trying to get as much information to them as quickly as possible.”
The mandate has a two-week phase-in process, during which proof of a negative test within 24 hours will be accepted. The mandate applies to any place that sells food or drink for consumption indoors, including arenas, theaters and catering halls.