Chicago fitness club East Bank mandating vaccines for members, staff

CHICAGO - A popular downtown Chicago fitness club is now making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory.

The East Bank Club emailed a notice to its members on Monday saying both staff and members must be vaccinated by Oct. 1.

The club says this is necessary to keep everyone safe from the Delta variant.

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"After consulting with safety experts and epidemiologists, we believe this is a necessary step to keep everyone in our own community – and beyond – safe and healthy, especially in light of the more dangerous and contagious Delta variant," the statement read.

According to a recent survey conducted by the club, the "great majority" of its members indicated they have been vaccinated, the statement said.

Once everyone is vaccinated, the club wrote that masks will no longer be required. Until then, unvaccinated staff and members must continue to wear them and they will remain optional for those who have received the vaccine.