While municipalities and businesses across the USÂ have begun implementing proof of vaccination policies, Americans have responded with F-bomb expletives, hate mail, and outright violence for being exposed as unvaccinated.
Current Events
Earlier this month in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID and its deadly Delta Variant, New York City implemented a proof of vaccination mandate for anyone wishing to enter a restaurant, theater, gym, or other indoor entertainment facility. The City of San Francisco also opted to follow suit, as did various other cities, private corporations, and businesses throughout the country. Although most vaccinated Americans have expressed no problem in flashing their vaccine card in order to enjoy normal daily activities, those who are unvaccinated have since been uncomfortably exposed and prevented from participating in the perks of daily life — often with dire consequences.
In New York City, Planet Fitness in Harlem has traditionally welcomed 100+ exercise enthusiasts at a time during peak hours on a Friday afternoon. However, the crowd dwindled to a mere 17 patrons last Friday at 4pm primetime after the gym began denying entry to anyone unwilling to provide proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test
“We had a fight break out here at the front desk,” a Planet Fitness receptionist said. “They were blaming us for not letting them in, but we were just following the law,” the clerk added.
The new mandate caused a few employees to quit and prompted a ton of hate mail from members threatening to cancel their memberships. However, since the mandate is citywide, no other gym will permit those unwilling to provide proof of their status to enter at any location.
Having to provide proof of vaccine or a negative COVID test result is also taking its toll in other cities, including New Orleans.
“We got a few F-Bombs the first day,” said Brack May, who co-owns the Cowbell Restaurant in New Orleans after implementing his city’s proof of vaccine mandate.
“They just were like, pissed off they had to show [their cards],” he said of some people who were angry even though they were vaccinated.
In Minneapolis, the Hark! Cafe not only started requiring proof of vaccination last Tuesday but also began requiring customers to wear masks inside regardless of vaccination status.
Needless to say, not everyone was pleased with the new policy.
“It’s really unfortunate that the rhetoric around vaccines is so politicized when we do not view it as a political issue,” said Katherine Pardue, chef and co-owner of the plant-based restaurant. “It is our right as business owners to do this,” she added. “Customers can make the decisions that are best for them. Anyone can choose to eat here or not eat here. And we can choose to make these rules.”
Although most business owners have seemed content with requiring patrons to prove their vaccination status, not every establishment is happy with the new legal mandate.
Art Depole, who co-owns the Mooyah burger joint in New York City’s Times Square is strongly against the mandate because he believes it’s having a negative impact on his business. According to Depole, sales were down about 25% last week compared to the previous week.
“People from out of town … literally do not have anything that they can show us,” Depole said, because “they don’t have the city or state’s vaccine app downloaded to their phones, and don’t have physical cards with them.” Some patrons (who are from out of state and unfamiliar with NY laws) have also questioned the restaurant’s right to ask medical questions.
“I’ve had groups of 7 or 8 come in … if 6 are vaccinated and 2 aren’t, then I have to turn away [the] whole group,” he said.
Additionally, Depole said that about a fifth of his staffers have told him they might quit because they either don’t want to be vaccinated or don’t want to have to prove their vaccine status, as required by city law.
As for Planet Fitness in Harlem, they were shocked to see the number of members working out during “rush hour” dwindle instantaneously. However, they were even more shocked to discover they had apparently been allowing potentially unvaccinated members (who were very likely spreading the virus) inside the gym for months as the Delta Variant wreaked havoc.
“It’s definitely a healthier environment now [inside the gym],” a Planet Fitness clerk said.
Despite public pushback, the proof of vaccination mandate appears to be working. By placing those who refuse to get the vaccine on an island and preventing them from participating in normal activities along with everyone else, unvaccinated Americans are discovering an immediate lack in their quality of life. Now, they are being left with an important choice: either get the vaccine — or stay at home (along with their freedoms NOT to be vaccinated) and remain quarantined away from the rest of the world.
OK WASSUP! covers Current Events:
Proof of vaccination mandates exposes the unvaccinated.
NBC News: Smartphone developers are gearing up for a world where users can store their Covid vaccination proof in their phones’ digital wallets, making it easy to simply tap their phones when they enter new buildings. The development, which concerns some privacy advocates, comes as the delta variant of the coronavirus surges through the U.S. and some cities plan to require people to prove they’ve been vaccinated to enter places like gyms, restaurants and bars. Google, Apple and Samsung have all recently announced plans to offer a feature that readily calls up a QR code that can be scanned to quickly verify a user’s vaccination status. Samsung, which manufactures Galaxy smartphones, announced Wednesday that it is partnering with the Commons Project, developers of one of a number of vaccine passport smartphone apps. Like New York state’s Excelsior Pass, the CommonHealth app asks users to undergo a one-time process by sharing… Read more »