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Suburban Cook County issues new proof of vaccine requirement for businesses
The Cook County Department of Public Health issued a new mitigation order Thursday that calls for proof of vaccination for customers of indoor settings where food and drink are served.
COOK COUNTY - The Cook County Department of Public Health issued a new mitigation order Thursday that calls for proof of vaccination for customers of indoor settings where food and drink are served.
The order will go into effect on Jan. 3, at places like restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues, and in fitness facilities. The department said the order comes in response to the current COVID-19 surge of cases and hospitalizations in suburban Cook County.
According to the department, the suburbs are seeing over 500 new cases per 100,000 population daily, and the test positivity rate is 7.8 percent as of last week. The ICU capacity is at 10.8 percent bed availability.
Under the order, businesses must display signage about the mitigations at every entrance and prominently within the facility. Businesses must develop a written protocol with details for how they will check vaccine status and how they will enforce this order, the department said.
"Earlier this year, we had hoped that we were on a path to finally put the pandemic behind us," said Cook County Board President Preckwinkle. "But unfortunately, with the dual threat presented by the Delta and Omicron variants, and with cases, hospitalizations and deaths rising to new heights across Cook County, we must once again reassess and re-align our strategies with what the science is telling us. And the science is clear - it will take all of us to beat COVID; people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and faiths getting vaccinated and taking common sense measures to stop the spread of the virus."
The department said businesses violating these orders will be subject to inspection and possible fines for violations. Many restaurants have already introduced these protective measures; this order aims to provide clarity to businesses and patrons throughout CCDPH’s jurisdiction in most of suburban Cook County.
"Omicron is here in suburban Cook County, and it spreads incredibly quickly and easily, so CCDPH must take measures to contain the spread," said Dr. Rachel Rubin, CCDPH Co-Lead and Senior Medical Officer. "We are concerned about how easily the Omicron variant can spread among people, especially in crowded indoor settings. It is very important that we implement these measures to help lower the risk of transmission."
Fitness centers include settings like health clubs, yoga studios, group fitness classes, recreation centers and dance studios. Entertainment venues include movie theaters, concert venues, live theater and music spaces, sports arenas, bowling alleys and arcades. Patrons in these facilities must remain masked and physically distant when possible, the department said.
"These measures are temporary, and we hope they are in effect for a very short time," said Dr. Kiran Joshi, CCDPH Co-Lead and Senior Medical Officer. "While there is so much that remains unknown about Omicron, we do know that our healthcare system is being severely strained. We are implementing these measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and prevent severe illness requiring hospitalization."
The new rule comes just days after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued the same mandate for businesses inside city limits.