Posted by 
cbsoptanon.onScriptsReady(function(cmp){cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(a){if(a) AnvatoPlayer(“p0”).init({“mcp”:”cbs”,”width”:”100%”,”height”:”100%”,”video”:”6180637″,”autoplay”:false,”titleVisible”:false,”accessKey”:”5VD6Eyd6djewbCmNwBFnsJj17YAvGRwl”,”accessControl”:{“preview”:false},”pInstance”:”p0″,”plugins”:{“heartbeat”:{“account”:”cbslocal-global-unified”,”publisherId”:”cbslocal”,”jobId”:”sc_va”,”marketingCloudId”:”823BA0335567497F7F000101@AdobeOrg”,”trackingServer”:”cbsdigitalmedia.hb.omtrdc.net”,”customTrackingServer”:”cbsdigitalmedia.d1.sc.omtrdc.net”,”chapterTracking”:false,”version”:”1.5″,”customMetadata”:{“video”:{“cbs_market”:”chicago.cbslocal.com”,”cbs_platform”:”desktop”}}},”comscore”:{“clientId”:”3000023″,”c3″:”Chicago.cbslocal.com”},”dfp”:{“clientSide”:{“adTagUrl”:”http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=2×2&iu=/4128/cbs.chi&ciu_szs&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=xml_vast2&unviewed_position_start=1&url=[referrer_url]&description_url=[description_url]&correlator=[timestamp]”,”keyValues”:{“categories”:”[[CATEGORIES]]”,”program”:”[[PROGRAM_NAME]]”,”siteSection”:”video-default”}}},”moat”:{“clientSide”:{“partnerCode”:”cbslocalanvatovideo181732609431″}}},”token”:”default”,”expectPreroll”:true,”expectPrerollTimeout”:5});});});
CHICAGO (CBS) — Monday brings big changes for restaurants and many other businesses in Chicago as a vaccination mandate goes into effect.
Many restaurant owners who have spoken with CBS 2 say they have been prepared, but others wish they had more time to prepare for this with both getting employees vaccinated and implementation with customers. . The vaccination requirement applies to all restaurants’ employees and customers.
It has not come without a bit of pushback from restuarnts in both the city and some suburbs. Last week, the Chicago Restaurant Coalition delivered a formal request to the mayor’s office, asking to extend the deadline to Jan. 15 along with federal money to help impletement the changes that with this mandate.
Roger Romanelli with the Chicago Restaurants Coalition said it is a day that will go down in the history books.
“Tomorrow January 3 is going to be a historic day in Chicago. First of all, our restaurants are going to work very hard to keep people safe,” he said. “That is a huge request from City Hall to our restaurants, restaurants are frustrated. Our restaurants are understaffed, and frankly, the restaurants need funding from City Hall and the federal government to get through this crisis.”
Restaurants, bars, gyms, entertainment venues, and anywhere else that serves food and drinks will require proof of vacciantion for anyone five and older. Romelli said the mandate came with such short notice that restaurant owners are scrambling to get things in order for Monday morning.
Heading to a restaurant in the West Loop, Annette Gonzalez said she is one customer who will be happy to comply.
“I get it. I mean it’s better to be safe than sorry,” she said.
She said complying will also help the restaurants that are already going through a lot.
“You know the servers are working hard in there and the staff, you know they don’t need anymore issues,” she said.
There will be mandatory COVID-19 testing weekly for employees who are not vaccinated. The city has said inspectors will be checking in on businesses, and those who do not comply can face fines anywhere between $2,000 and $10,000.
It comes at a time when restaurants are already short staffed in the midst of this public health crisis. Some are saying they simply need more time.
“I think what restaurants what is just fair reciprocity,” said Kevin Boehm with the Independent Restaurant Coalition. “They want to say, ‘Hey we’re going to do our part. We’re going to make it as safe as possible, but help us on the other hand so it doesn’t kill our business and at the same time lose jobs for all these hard working people.”
CBS 2 reached out to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office, but they did not say anything specifically on extending that deadline. The restaurant coalition siad it does not think any restaurants should be cited until at least Jan. 15 to give them more time.
The mandate applies to anyone 5 years old and up.
No proof of vaccination is required to pick up a takeout order or for outdoor dining.
Starting Monday restaurants will accept either a photocopy of a vacciantion card or even a clear photo of it on a phone.
Source: ChicagoCBS
