LOCAL NEWS
Over 100 Seattle bars, nightclubs, restaurants now requiring proof of vaccination
With COVID-19 transmission rising across Washington state, dozens of Seattle bars, clubs, and restaurants are now requiring customers to provide proof of their vaccination status.
Some Washington counties remain hesitant to get vaccinated
Several businesses began to take action last week, after public health officials sounded the alarm over a rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the increasing prevalence of the delta variant. That saw music venues like Neumos on Capitol Hill and SoDo’s Supernova, among others, announce new requirements.
Dominoes beginning to fall in PNW nightlife, with Neumos/Barboza, Portland's 45 East, and at least four other Capitol Hill bars all now requiring proof of vaccination for entry. pic.twitter.com/KhX4h7Vqqp
— Nick Bowman (@NickNorthwest) July 29, 2021
“Our primary concern is for the safety of our patrons, staff, performers and their families,” Supernova said in a Facebook post. “Due to the recent rise of COVID cases in King County we feel changing our guidelines for entry is the appropriate decision to make. If you choose not to be vaccinated, you will not be permitted to enter Supernova until this policy is no longer in place.”
Several others have since followed suit, including Ballard’s Tractor Tavern, Capitol Hill’s Canon, downtown’s Timber Room, and West Seattle’s Skylark Cafe. A larger list compiled by a local infectious disease researcher indicates that over 100 clubs, bars, and restaurants in the Seattle area are now requiring either proof of vaccination with a valid ID, or proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test.
COVID cases have quadrupled in King County thanks to delta variant
“Our industry has taken the brunt of this pandemic for far too long — we’re doing what we need to do to stay in business,” said Canon in an explanation published to its website.
While some Washington lawmakers have expressed opposition to the idea of government-enforced “vaccine passports,” the state’s individual private businesses do have the legal latitude to enact their own restrictions. At the federal level, President Joe Biden announced stringent new rules last week, requiring that federal workers either get vaccinated against COVID-19, or comply with new rules on mandatory masking, weekly testing, distancing, and more.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
