APARTHEID: Los Angeles bars unvaccinated from restaurants, malls, gyms

 Starting tomorrow, proof of vaccination will be required to enter most public areas in Los Angeles.  The vaccine mandate has been labeled one of the strictest in the country so far.  Proof of vaccination will be required to enter restaurants, entertainment venues, gyms, malls, government buildings, and more.  Businesses who fail to abide by the mandate can be issued citations and face fines of $1,000 or more for subsequent offenses.  The Los Angeles vaccine mandate is stricter than the mandate implemented in the county, leading to confusion among business leaders, “There’s a tremendous lack of clarity,” said Sarah Wiltfong, senior policy manager at the Los Angeles County Business Federation. For example, most retail shops are exempt. “But shopping malls and shopping centers are included, which of course includes retail shops,” she said.

LA’s vaccine mandate comes on the heels of a national vaccine mandate by President Biden, requiring employees of all businesses with more than 100 employees to show proof of vaccination.  Biden’s mandate was halted in a federal court due to “grave statutory and constitutional issues”.  27 states have sued the Biden administration in federal court to fight the mandate, including three Democratic states.  The Democratic Governor of Kansas, Laura Kelly, came out against Biden’s vaccine mandate publicly, saying “Yesterday, I reviewed the new vaccine mandate from the Biden Administration. While I appreciate the intention to keep people safe, a goal I share, I don’t believe this directive is the correct, or the most effective, solution for Kansas,”.

Some states have passed bills banning vaccine mandates in local jurisdictions, including a recently signed bill by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine banning vaccine mandates in public schools.  Workers across the country have revolted against vaccine mandates, with the mandates being a leading cause for various workers strikes and creating staffing shortages in critical industries.