In SF, belly up to bar only with vax proof

Hundreds of bars in San Francisco will begin requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result from patrons who want to eat or drink inside, an industry group announced.

The San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance, which represents more than 500 owners, said it changed its position this week on requiring proofs due to a recent uptick in cases among staff, especially fully vaccinated employees.

“This decision is based solely on our need to protect our workers, customers and their families,” the group said in a statement. “However, we hope it might also influence some who have not yet received vaccinations to do so as soon as they are able.”

The proof-of-vaccination cards or negative test results from within 72 hours will not be required from customers who choose to sit “outside in parklets or other spaces we offer,” the group said.

Each bar will determine on its own how best to implement the rules.

Ben Blieman, the group’s president, said 85 percent of bar owners in the city are in favor of requiring proof of vaccination for indoor customers, according to NBC Bay Area.

In a tweet, San Francisco Mayor London Breed hailed the announcement as “responsible.”

The spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus has prompted many cities and businesses to reassess the reopening of the economy.

In San Francisco, the sevenday average of daily new cases has surged in recent weeks to 118, a level not seen since February.

Deaths caused by COVID-19 in the area have so far remained low, but epidemiologists and health officials have warned that those numbers might tick up in the coming weeks if unvaccinated people get infected and hospitalized.