What to know about San Jose mandate
All people at large events must prove they got a booster shot or tested negative for COVID-19
San Jose this week approved a new ordinance mandating that all people entering city-owned facilities such as the SAP Center for large events must prove they received a booster shot or tested negative for COVID-19.
The new order replaces the city’s previous vaccination mandate, and there are some important changes that you should be aware of before heading out to watch a game or see a play in San Jose.
What does this new order say exactly?
It says all attending an indoor event of 50 or more people at a city-owned facility must prove they’ve been inoculated with a booster shot or tested negative before entering. In addition to attendees, the order applies to employees, players and performers.
Why is the city enforcing such a rule?
Mayor Sam Liccardo proposed the new regulation in late December in an effort to curb the COVID-19 surge fueled by the rapidly-spreading omicron variant. The City Council approved the ordinance Tuesday as an additional precautionary step.
How is this different than the city’s previous proof-of-vaccination requirements?
San Jose previously required that attendees of events with 50 or more people at public facilities show proof they were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, meaning they had received two shots of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one shot of Johnson & Johnson. People with a negative COVID-19 test result were barred from entering unless they were also fully dosed.
The new mandate is more lenient, allowing those who have not yet received a booster shot to enter if they show a negative COVID-19 test result.
Children ages 5-12, who previously were exempted from the city’s vaccination order, no longer are exempt. Starting Feb. 4, they also must show proof of a booster or a negative test.
Why is the city allowing negative tests now, when before it didn’t?
The change was made to align
with federal guidance and requirements from the California Department of Public Health, according to city spokesperson Carolina Camarena.
Is anyone exempted from the order?
Children who are not yet eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine — currently those under the age of 5 — are not subject to the order.
How do you prove you’ve had a negative test?
People can either show a printed document, email, text message or phone photo of the test result. The proof must come from a test provider or laboratory that shows a negative result from a recent PCR or an antigen COVID-19 test. It also must include the person’s name, type of test performed and date of the test.
As recommended by the California Department of Public Health, antigen test results must be received within one day and PCR tests within two days before entering an event.
Can you use an at-home test?
Standard at-home tests will not be accepted, according to city spokesperson Demetria Machado.
But at-home tests that are done via telehealth, where they are supervised by a professional and patients receive an official lab report back, would be considered valid and could be used as proof, Machado said.
When does this rule take effect?
Feb. 4.
• What facilities are subject to this rule?
• City Hall
• City-owned libraries
• City-owned community centers
• SAP Center
• Solar 4 America Ice
• San Jose McEnery Convention Center
• California Theatre
• San Jose Civic
• Montgomery Theater
• Center for the Performing
Arts
• Fourth Street Summit Center
• School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza
• San Jose History Park
• San Jose Museum of Art
• Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose
• The Tech Interactive The mandate does not apply to venues such as museums or the airport where people regularly circulate, unless such venues host qualifying events of 50 or more people in a confined space.
Are there instances where this mandate doesn’t apply at public venues?
Yes. The mandate only applies to events with 50 or more people.
Individuals walking into a city library to pick up books or attending a city council meeting or taking part in a senior nutrition program at a public community center would not be required to show proof of a booster shot or provide a negative test result.