DC businesses and facilities, including restaurants, bars, and gyms, will not be able to allow customers in without first checking their proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
The announcement came from Mayor Muriel Bowser on December 22 in the face of concerns about the fast-spreading Omicron variant and rising number of cases. Health officials are expecting a surge in coronavirus infections around the nation in the coming months.
The decision takes effect in the District on January 15, 2022 at 6 am. It doesn’t apply to children 12 years old and younger.
Among the establishments that must implement the rule are:
- Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, breweries, and food courts
- Indoor cultural and entertainment facilities such as sporting venues, movie theaters, bowling alleys
- Indoor exercise and recreational establishments like gyms, dance, yoga and pilates studios
- Indoor event and meeting establishments including hotel common rooms, banquet halls, and conference centers
For briefly entering these places to use the restroom or to pick up an order, you don’t need to show any vaccination documents.
Houses of worship, grocery stores, farmer’s markets, pharmacies, hospitals, medical offices, private meeting spaces in residences and office buildings are exceptions to the vaccine entry requirement.