Philadelphia to Institute Vaccine Mandates in Restaurants, Bars

(TheDailyHorn.com) – It’s a new day, and another big city is implementing more COVID-19 restrictions. On Monday, December 13, Philadelphia announced its plans to follow in the footsteps of New York City.

On January 3, the City of Brotherly Love intends to strip love from the menu and implement forced mandates. City officials announced that if one is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, they will not be allowed to patronize a food or drink establishment from that day, moving forward. That prohibition includes sports venues serving food or drinks, movie theaters, bowling alleys, and casinos where people may consume food and beverages on the floor.

City health officials cited several studies which found that restaurants pose a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission than virtually any other kind of business. Their research included a Drexel University study that said closing restaurants altogether lowered the risk of contracting the disease by 61%.

The city said it’s treating the first two weeks of the mandate as a trial run. If one isn’t vaccinated but shows proof of a negative test within 24 hours prior to entering a food or drink establishment, they can enter. After January 17, the order will go into full effect, and only vaccinated individuals may enter the food and drink establishments.

There is one caveat. The mandate doesn’t apply if you’re unvaccinated with proof of a religious or medical exemption.

What do you think? Is Philadelphia taking its mandate too far?

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