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How Contra Costa businesses are handling the Covid-19 vaccine mandate
September 2021
As of late September, 2021, a vaccine mandate went into effect in Contra Costa County. The mandate appears to have been built to expand upon a similar mandate in San Francisco, which was among the first of its kind in the country. When San Francisco makes a change to its Covid-19 procedures, it’s common for other surrounding counties to follow, and that was the case with Contra Costa and its vaccine requirements.
The new requirement for a Covid-19 vaccine is limited to specific contexts. The requirement applies mainly to places where you might take your mask off inside, or where you might be breathing especially heavily. For example, restaurants, gyms, fitness centers, and other indoor spaces are included in the mandate.
In order to meet the requirements of the mandate, people must either have received full vaccination (be two weeks out from their last dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or from their single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine), or prove that they’ve had a negative Covid-19 test in the last 72 hours. The last part is likely a concession to people who choose not to get vaccinated, won’t be vaccinated for religious reasons, or can’t be vaccinated for health reasons. It gives another option other than getting the shot, which still allows…
