Coronavirus California

Most San Francisco bars to require proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test for entry

ByMatt Boone, Jocelyn Fiset KGO logo

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Most SF bars to require proof of vaccine or negative COVID test

The SF Bar Owner Alliance says it has decided to require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for customers to enter their establishments.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A group of more than 300 bars in San Francisco has announced a policy requiring proof of vaccination or a 72-hour negative COVID-19 test for customers to enter their establishments amid a spike of cases in the city.

This goes into effect Thursday, July 29.

Guests without these verifications will still be allowed to sit in parklets and other outdoor areas.

It will be up to each bar to decide how best to enforce this rule for customers. It's unclear if restaurants will follow the same path.

The SF Bar Owner Alliance said in a statement, "This decision is based solely on our need to protect our workers, customers, and their families. However, we hope it might also influence some who have not yet received vaccinations to do so as soon as they are able. We understand that the only way our society (and our businesses) can ever return to true normalcy is through higher rates of vaccinations among our residents, not just in San Francisco but across the United States of America."

The SF Bar Owner Alliance represents over 300 bars (nearly 500 individual owners), which is the majority of bars in the city.

Mayor London Breed tweeted in response to the announcement: "This is a responsible decision by the SF Bar Owner Alliance that will help protect employees and customers."

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