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Where there’s a will, there’s a way

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Illinois

As part of Illinois’ latest reopening plans, customers with proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test will not count against the capacity limits that have hamstrung businesses for the past year.

Some struggling business owners say that provision has the potential to be a big help. But implementing it? That could be a logistical nightmare.

“It’s great that the governor is looking for ways to get businesses back open quicker at a place where people feel safe,” said Scott Weiner, co-owner at Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, which operates 17 restaurants, including Roots Handmade Pizza and West Town Bakery. “I just hope that there’s a way to actually roll it out.”

There is no universal vaccine passport being distributed in the United States, and some worry about patrons fabricating vaccine records. There’s also a concern establishments could violate privacy laws in requesting health care information.

Restaurants shouldn’t be asking customers for private health records, but nothing can stop customers from offering up their own proof.

So, if the customer is silent when reserving a table, then that reservation would be counted toward the capacity limits (50 percent for outdoor seating, 30 percent for indoors). But if the reserving customer says that all four of the people in the reservation will supply proof upon arrival that they’ve received their final shots at least two weeks prior to the reserved date, then those folks won’t be counted toward the capacity limits. Leave it up to the customers to make their own decisions.

Since there is no uniform vaccination card, some scammers may try to get through the system. But even fully justifiable rules will not stop all dishonest people. It’s just human nature and is not a reason to have no rules at all. And, frankly, if you’re going to the sort of restaurant which could be heavily populated with dishonest COVID scammers, you might wanna frequent a different restaurant.

I’ve been using this same argument for media access to the House and Senate press boxes. Right now, the Senate limits occupancy to three per box and the House limits it to two per box. But reporters who are willing to show they are fully vaxed and “ripened” for at least two weeks should be allowed into the boxes above the capacity caps.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:15 pm

Comments

I think the frustrating part here is that for owners that want to follow and abide by the rules this is extra complicated and challenging.

For owners that are fine breaking the rules they now have an almost built-in escape hatch that would make it harder for a policing agency/entity to enforce the rules.

Comment by The Captain Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:24 pm
Set aside 70 percent of the tables in your bar for people that are fully vaccinated.

Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:27 pm
There is actually a new industry emerging where you give a third party your private health information, and they then tell various businesses whether or not you meet their health standards. It can be verified ahead of time or in the moment with smartphones.

Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:28 pm
=== make it harder for a policing agency/entity to enforce the rules. ===

It would be nice if it was being enforced in the first place.

In the past year, Will county has issued ZERO violations. In fact, the county had given the green light for a pizza place to have a buffet in the middle of the fall spike.

The next pandemic, and there will be one, is going to completely destroy places like this unless accountability is brought to those enforcement and health agencies.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:32 pm
Illinos could be the first state to come out with a dated “proof of full vaccination” passport that one would get at the place where they got their last COVID vaccination. If Europe can do it, we can do it.

Comment by Mama Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:35 pm
===extra complicated and challenging===

Meh. We used to separate smokers from non-smokers.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:36 pm
As soon as we have our second shots, I’ll store photos of the cards on my phone. No problem showing them if needed.

There’s no privacy left anyway unless you are a recluse with no family / relatives, living off the grid, and don’t have an internet connection.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:39 pm
The problem with that is your name is not stated on your vaccination card. My card only states the name of the vaccine and its lot number. It would be to easy for the thieves to copy anyone else’s card onto their cell phone.

Comment by Mama Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:47 pm
It strikes me that we are re opening much too fast. VCU having to forfeit its game because too many players had tested positive for COVID just reinforced that belief.

Comment by low level Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:52 pm
==The problem with that is your name is not stated on your vaccination card. ==

Well that is interesting-and sounds like a big problem, doesn’t it? My name is on my card along with my birthdate showing the dates and vaccine #s for each shot. I also received a receipt from Walgreens each time with the dates and times of my visits. The receipts have my name and address and are formatted exactly like a prescription receipt would be. Unfortunately, I can already foresee that “proof of vaccination” is going to be all over the map.

Comment by Responsa Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:08 pm
The honor system requires people to behave honorably. I think that’s the only flaw in the honor system.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:08 pm
No, we don’t need a vaccine passport. We don’t have one for other vaccines, there is no need this time

Comment by Papers please Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:18 pm
=== We don’t have one for other vaccines ===

Can always tell who has never traveled out of the country in these threads.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:20 pm
My card (the CDC style the same one my wife has) does have my name and birthdate along with the date of the vaccination, what vaccine, and batch IDs. It even has the expiration date on the batch for the second shot.

I’d be fine showing that or a picture of that.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:29 pm
International travel and going out to dinner are two different things, not that you plan on doing the latter.

Comment by Papers please Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:35 pm
Can always tell who has never traveled out of the country in these threads.

I have, extensively. I’ve never been asked to show proof of anything.

I have been told it’s a really good idea to get X,Y,Z if you are going to Nowhereia, but never had to show I did so.

Comment by Fav Human Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:44 pm
I wasn’t sure my name was on my vax card, so I looked. I had written it on there myself. In pencil.

Comment by Stix Hix Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:01 pm
I second Responsa. My CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card has my name and birthdate written on the card. The nurse who gave me my shot wrote it on there in pen. Then underneath that it has the manufacturer, lot number, and date of each of the shots.

I agree a vaccine passport isn’t a perfect solution, but for those who are vaccinated and honest about it and who trust others to be honest about it too, it is an option to get some freedoms to get up close and personal in public spaces with other people again (I personally prefer to be socially distant, even when not in the midst of a pandemic.)

Comment by EssentialWorkingMom Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:17 pm
vaccines are regularly required for children to enter public spaces- schools, group sports, etc. Yellow Fever vaccine is required for travel to many places, and having other vaccines is required for you to re-enter the US from many of those same places.

I’m not at all surprised at the conflation in the minds of some between “I didn’t know this exists” with “That’s not something that is required anywhere”.

Carry on with spreading disease. This is why we still have sporadic measles and mumps outbreaks to this day in what seems to be unrelated areas.

Personal hygiene isn’t a difficult concept. Children usually can learn it in a few months.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:19 pm
So we can’t require ID to vote or proof of citizenship to register, but you need a “passport” to prove you are vaxed? If you can take my word on being eligible to vote, you can take my word on being vaxed.

Comment by Captain Obvious Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:45 pm
=== but you need a “passport” to prove you are vaxed?===

Says who? Stop making up tall tales and placing yourself in them as chief victim.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:50 pm
===So we can’t require ID to vote or proof of citizenship to register===

You need a state ID, and not one given to undocumenteds, to register to vote. You don’t need a drivers license on you to start your car.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:56 pm
Citizens like me who are fully vaxed & “ripened” should be allowed in the Capitol and the Gallery of the House & Senate too.

Comment by jimbo26 Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:17 pm
Several years ago, some scientists attempted to solve this problem by proposing that vaccines contain a microscopic device whose sole function was to give a positive signal on a scanner, so you had a quick and easy way to tell who was vaccinated. Then the conspiracy minded got wind of it and it turned into “Bill Gates is trying to inject everybody with microchips to monitor what we day and do.” So now we’re stuck with this. Lovely.

Comment by Bond Guy Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:21 pm
Actually I need to correct myself. It was a traceable dye invisible to the naked eye but scannable. No electronics involved.

Comment by Bond Guy Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:26 pm
=== It was a traceable dye invisible to the naked eye but scannable.===

Maybe they could try bio-luminescence instead. As in, “no glow, no go.”

Scarlet letters could also work, but feels a little too Puritan maybe?

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:35 pm
Its a great idea. Opens up the roped off tables and gives incentive to get the shot.
The publicity alone will cause more people to get shots.

Comment by Im Vaxed Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 3:54 pm
Lying about your COVID vaccine is just another way nature uses the natural laws in evolution. You lye you could dye.

Comment by Gary from Chicagoland Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:31 pm
That is good they included your name on your card. I wonder why they did not put my name on my vaccination card?

Comment by Mama Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 6:51 pm