New York City this week became the first in the nation to require proof of vaccination in order to participate in various types of indoor activities, including dining out. Neither Boston nor Massachusetts in general have asked the same thing from the top-down level, but some local restaurants have made it their business to require proof of vaccination upon entry. Jim Braude was joined by one such restaurateur in the greater Boston area who has been doing this for several weeks – Tracy Chang of Cambridge’s PAGU – and Bob Luz, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.
Chang says nine out of ten diners support and acknowledge the obligation to provide proof of vaccination at their restaurant. “We wanted to take the right precautions and do the right thing,” she said. “This is not a common practice in Massachusetts now, and we hope that will change, especially as the Delta variant becomes more dangerous.”
The demand for proof of vaccination would burden the restaurant employees themselves, who had to wear a police mask during the pandemic, Luz said. “We don’t believe the government should impose enforcement capabilities on understaffed and over-stressed restaurant workers,” he said.
WATCH: Should be mass. do it like NYC and ask for proof of vaccination in restaurants?
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