San Francisco, New Orleans to require vaccine passports for entry into restaurants, bars, entertainment venues

Beginning on August 20, people in San Francisco will have to show proof of being fully vaccinated in order to enter bars, restaurants and entertainment-related venues. New Orleans also has plans for the same measures.

This new rule will apply to patrons and employees alike, and will also mandate vaccines for residential healthcare facility workers dentists and pharmacists by Oct. 13, 2021.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said on Thursday, "We know that for our city to bounce back from the pandemic and thrive, we need to use the best method we have to fight COVID-19 and that's vaccines. Vaccines are our way out of the pandemic, and our way back to a life where we can be together safely."

A similar scheme has been proposed by NYC's mayor Bill De Blasio, and will go into effect four days earlier than San Francisco. The measure requires proof of at least one dose of an approved vaccine, and does not require full vaccination. The city of Los Angeles is also considering a similar measure.

The city of New Orleans has been considering a similar measure. The Times-Picayune reported that an announcement is forthcoming that customers in the city's famed bars and restaurants will also have to present a recent negative test or proof of vaccination in order to enter.

North of the border, things are moving almost as quickly. People in the province of Quebec in Canada will also be required to present their vaccine passports in many places as of Sept. 1. However, the passports that will be required in Quebec will be phone-based, and possibly subject to a higher level of scrutiny than that of a card-based proof of vaccine.