Chicago to require Vaccine Proof for Indoor Spaces like Restaurants, Bars, Gym

Beginning Jan. 3, anyone age 5 and older will be required to show proof of full vaccination to dine inside or visit gyms or entertainment venues where food and drinks are being served

Chicago will soon require proof of vaccination for indoor public spaces like restaurants, bars and gyms in the new year, the city’s mayor announced Tuesday, joining other big cities like New York and Los Angeles in adding the requirement as COVID cases surge.

Beginning Jan. 3, anyone age 5 and older will be required to show proof of full vaccination to dine inside or visit gyms or entertainment venues where food and drinks are being served.

The city said the policy is “in response to an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases both locally and nationally, driven in part by the omicron variant.”

“Despite our diligent and equitable vaccine distribution efforts throughout this year,
unfortunately, our city continues to see a surge of COVID-19 Delta and now Omicron cases,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “New steps must be taken to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents. This public health order requiring proof of vaccination to visit certain indoor public places is a necessary measure to ensure we can continue to enjoy our city’s many amenities as we enter the new year.”

According to the new guidelines, those 5 and older must show proof of full vaccination, but anyone ages 16 and older will also need to provide identification that matches their vaccination record. Employees at such venues will also need to either be vaccinated or wear a mask and show proof of weekly negative COVID-19 tests.

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