Supervisors ask for report on possible mandate that would apply to indoor
venues
The Board of Supervisors is contemplating the possibility of requiring proof of vaccination for people going inside LA venues.
It’s all very preliminary at this point. The Board won’t be taking immediate action.
“[Y]esterday the board approved the supervisors motion which simply asks for a report from county experts on what a possible proof of vaccination requirement would look like,” wrote Liz Odendahl in an Aug. 11 email to the Islander.
Odendahl is director of Communications at Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn.
Jim Luttjohann, president and CEO of Love Catalina Island said it would be better for Catalina if such a mandate were countywide rather than a local ordinance. (Love Catalina, also known as the Catalina Island Tourism Authority, is the local Chamber of Commerce.)
Luttjohann said any mandates would cause workers to have engage with the public and that didn’t always work out.
He said when he takes the Catalina Express, he often sees a crew member remind a passenger to put their mask back on. (The county Health Officer last month issued a mandate that people wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.)
Luttjohann said he has a genuine proof of vaccination saved on both his phone and the cloud.
Historically, he was regular traveler before the pandemic. He said that was part of his reason to get vaccinated in the first place.
Avalon Mayor Anni Marshall was surprised by the news of the Board of Supervisor’s possible countywide proof of vaccination policy. “That takes it off us,” she said. According to Marshall, a proof of vaccination mandate might not be as much of an issue here as in other cities.
“We’re 80 to 85% vaccinated,” Marshall said.
In related news, Long Beach Unified School District (which includes Avalon Schools), this week decided to require district employees to provide proof of vaccination or undergo regular testing for COVID-19.
On Aug. 11, two days later, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order requiring California teachers to provide proof of vaccination or get tested regularly.
Effective Sept. 30, the LA County Health Officer will mandate proof of vaccination or twice-weekly testing for healthcare workers “at skilled nursing facilities, acute care hospitals, and intermediate care facilities,” according to a recent press release from the County Public Health Department.
