Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka will sign an Executive Order today (Monday, Dec, 27) requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for customers 5 years of age and older to enter certain establishments and facilities.
The timing is sure to have many scrambling as it will “commence by requiring anyone attending public New Year’s Eve events and parties to show proof of vaccination.”
By January 10, persons entering a facility or business must show proof of at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose; and be fully vaccinated three weeks later.
“Newark’s latest three-day test positivity rate has spiked to 27.16 percent. Guided by this data, the City of Newark is taking firm and aggressive action to prevent its spread and protect our residents and workers. Newark will continue to meet the challenge of COVID-19 with determination,” Mayor Baraka said.
Establishments affected by this executive order must prominently post signage at their entrances notifying the public of the vaccination entry requirement (See the full list of establishments affected by Newark’s executive order below).
Montclair followed Newark’s lead when it enacted a 30-day mask mandate on Wednesday.
The Clairidge in Montclair is one establishment that already requires proof of vaccination to enter. Would you be more inclined to dine at Montclair restaurants or visit other establishments if the Township of Montclair required everyone who entered to show proof of vaccination?
Newark’s executive order applies to the following establishments:
Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, including taverns, coffee shops and fast-food establishments that have seating
Breweries, wineries, and distillery tasting rooms
Mixed-use facilities
Food courts
Indoor entertainment establishments, including nightclubs, hookah bars, pool and billiard halls, and cigar bars
Concert, and sporting venues
Movie theatres
Bowling alleys
Indoor exercise and recreational establishments, including exercise facilities, dance, yoga, and Pilates studios
Any facilities used for group fitness classes
Indoor event and meeting establishments, including hotel common rooms, banquet halls, conference centers meeting facilities, convention centers, auditoriums
Shared work facilities
The following Newark establishments do not have to require proof of vaccination of its patrons:
Houses of worship
Grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and food service establishments providing charitable food services
Pharmacies, medical offices, urgent care centers, or hospitals
Hardware stores, and retail establishments where people tend to be in motion and not standing or seated in close proximity to others for long periods of time
Private meeting spaces in residences or office buildings
Governmental facilities; warming and cooling centers, day service facilities for homeless persons, shelters serving homeless persons or victims of domestic violence
Election polling places
Other facilities as exempted by the Department of Health
What is the point of this? This made some modicum of sense when there was an idea that vaccination prevented this disease from occurring. What we are seeing today is that vaccinated and vaccinated people with boosters are still getting and spreading Covid 19 at a very high rate. Therefore, what is mandating vaccination to enter a venue accomplishing? Personally even though I’m vaccinated I shan’t be visiting venues that make me show papers to enter. My money will be spent in places where useless coercion is not required.
I wholeheartedly support this idea. While vaccinated people still may contract the virus, the severity is so much less, reducing the strain on our healthcare system. The graphs showing the rate of hospitalization of vaccinated people vs. unvaccinated are proof. We have to think beyond ourselves and consider our healthcare workers. If requiring proof of vaccination encourages more people to get vaccinated, I’m all for it. And yes, I would absolutely favor establishments that require proof of vaccination over those that don’t. It’s a way of supporting public health.
@jbs,
Lucid. Thoughtful. Community first. Thank you.
The Montclair Public School District Leadership Team?
I want to cut you a break you because you are going through your 2nd divorce, with Statistics, following your quite notorious 1st divorce from Mathematics. But, stupid is as stupid does. Please open all buildings on January 3rd. I double dare you.
If you just wait for 2 more weeks, we would all be so, so much better off. (I know you don’t get it – it’s a numbers thing) But, no. Our public school parents’ uninformed self-interests squashed your common sense. This is going to be a hoot.
Tongue in cheek Frank but right on. I only wish those who won’t wear masks go someplace else if you know what I mean.
Tongue in cheek? It wasn’t humor. The divorces, the stupidity, the uninformed. Why did you think I was trying to be funny?
At what point after children learn the truth about Santa Claus do we spell it out to them that their future will include countless examples of society requiring some to be sacrificed for the good of the group? Fortunately, Live/Learn/Work/Play Montclair is “hotter than a firecracker” so, the good news: We are all quickly replaceable. Maybe with even better versions?
The really good Montclair news is that the last 14 days of 2021 will likely have no COVID-related deaths.
The bad Montclair news? Not so fast. Slow your roll.
First, let’s get our rationalizations (that align to our self-interests) in order. Second, let’s forget everything any administration has ever told us we should know on pandemics, metrics & yes, The Underlying Science. OK?
Third, the “bad” Montclair news: the last 14 days of 2021 will have more COVID cases than ALL of 2020. Yes, read that again and now you can to grab your rationalizations why this two weeks doesn’t mean nothin’ and schools should open Monday.