San Francisco will become the first city in the nation to announce plans to have children 5 and up show proof of vaccination in certain indoor settings.
The decision comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for ages 5-11.
According to NBC, the rule will apply in gyms, restaurants, and sporting events.
San Francisco Health Officer Susan Philip said the city will give adequate time for children to be vaccinated before implementing the rule.
"That will happen no sooner than about eight weeks after the vaccine is available to kids,” she said. “So, there will be a limited time in which there will not be those requirements, but then at some point, 5 to 11-year-olds will also have to show proof of vaccination to access some of those same settings."
According to the CDC, children’s Covid-19 vaccines will be rolled out immediately, reaching full capacity the week of Nov. 8.
The mandate for young children comes despite the fact that no one in this age group has died from Covid-19 in San Francisco, according to the city’s official Covid tracker, The Daily Mail reports.
As Katie noted last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has also mandated public schoolchildren get the vaccine—something a prominent Yale epidemiologist cautioned against.
"If the child has chronic conditions that make their risk appreciable, then there's reason they should be considered for vaccination. Other than that if it were my child, I would homeschool them. Honestly, I would organize with other parents to take them out of the school and create homeschooling environments," Dr. Harvey Risch said. "On the average the benefit is higher for homeschooling than it is for vaccination and being in school."
The mandate on young children is also occurring in a city where illegal immigrants are allowed to vote in local elections, conservative radio host David Webb pointed out.
"The hypocrisies, the contradictions, it’s a mess," he said. "This city is living proof of bad government."