SPOKANE, Wash. — A popular Italian restaurant in Spokane is the latest eatery to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to be seated.
Italia Trattoria said in a post on Facebook the restaurant is changing its policy to protect staff and guest safety due to the spread of the highly contagious delta variant of coronavirus. They will now require proof of full vaccination and a valid I.D. for those who are dining inside or on the patio.
In addition, all guests must wear masks when not seated at their table. Children under 12 must wear masks when they are not actively eating because they are not able to be vaccinated.
Italia Trattoria joins other local restaurants like nYne Bar and Bistro that are requiring proof of vaccination to enter. If a guest is vaccinated, they don't have to wear a mask and they get to dance. Vaccinated guests get a wristband. If the guest isn't vaccinated, they still get to come in, but they must sit at a table and wear the mask the whole time.
With the highly contagious delta variant quickly becoming the dominate strain in many states, the debate of whether to require proof of vaccination is heating up.
Some have objected to asking for proof of vaccination would violate Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, more commonly known as HIPAA, which protects people from having their private medical information shared by their medical provider.
However, it does not apply to most businesses and they are allowed to ask for proof of vaccination before letting people enter.
In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that fully vaccinated people no longer needed to wear masks or socially distance, a guideline that has since been walked back. In early August, 35 Washington Health officials, including including Interim Spokane Health Officer Dr. Francisco Velázquez, urged people to wear masks indoors regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status.
In their statement, the 35 health officers say people should wear masks in indoor public settings "where the vaccination status of those around you is unknown."
