Prognosis

Chicago to Require Vaccine Proof for Patrons of Indoor Venues

  • Policy takes effect Jan. 3, but venues’ employees can test out
  • City’s daily Covid-19 cases are up 79% since last week
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Chicago will require patrons of indoor venues like restaurants and gyms to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination, and employees who haven’t been inoculated must show a negative test starting in 2022, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced.

The policy will take effect Jan. 3, Lightfoot said during a virus briefing on Tuesday with Allison Arwady, head of the city’s public health department. The mandate comes as cases of Covid-19 in the city and across the country are surging. On Monday, Chicago reported 1,776 daily cases, up 79% from a week earlier, according to health department data. The city’s positivity rate is 7.3%, up from 4.1% last week.