Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Wednesday announced it will begin requiring verification of a recent negative COVID-19 test or vaccination for employees and attendees of indoor bars, clubs and lounges.
The modified Health Officer Order will take effect Oct. 7, requiring customers and employees at bars, breweries, wineries, night clubs and lounges to have at least one dose of the vaccine to enter and requiring both doses by Nov. 4.
A vaccination verification or a negative test within 72 hours will also be required prior to attending outdoor mega events with more than 10,000 attendees. Those attending indoor events with more than 1,000 are already required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test prior to entry.
Â
“We in public health believe that targeted vaccination mandates are an important strategy for quickly raising vaccination coverage in our county and ending the pandemic, and we applaud our president, our governor, our Board of Supervisors, our cities and school districts, and business establishments across the county for creating additional safety in spaces where people are intermingling with the use of targeted vaccination mandates,” Barbara Ferrer, director of Public Health Department, said in a statement.
“The modified Health Officer Order aligns with the continued need to reduce risk for transmission and increase vaccination coverage; this is a reasonable path forward that can position us to be better able to break the cycle of surges.”
To date, Public Health has identified 1.4 million positive cases of COVID-19 and a total of 25,748 deaths in L.A. County.