The Department of Health and Human Services is offering a free option for Maine people who need a ride to and from a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. Greg Dugal with the trade group HospitalityMaine says he's still waiting for more details on the plan before weighing in. Volk, the restaurant co-owner, said a citywide or statewide requirement for vaccination to dine indoors would be helpful to restaurant owners and managers who dont want to impose their own restrictions for fear of unvaccinated customers becoming angry. Please wait for the page to reload. *all teachers, staff, and students in K-12 schools wear face coverings, regardless of vaccination status or community transmission level. This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. For everyone 5 years and older, the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 primary vaccine series requires two doses. %PDF-1.7 All people aged 6+ months are eligible for vaccination. The moves mean that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 vaccination record card issued when a person is inoculated will become important proof of protection, either shown directly or, perhaps, photographed or scanned so that the image can be uploaded into an application or portal used to verify vaccination. "If you spend $295 to buy a ticket with us and you can't let your guard down to have the experience, we're failing to provide that level of service.". "Today we stand with Mayor Wu moving into this next chapter," she said. FEINBERG: Now MacDougal and other Portland restaurant owners are petitioning the city to require proof of vaccination for certain indoor public spaces, including eateries. With 21,137 New Confirmed Cases, U.S. CDC Says People Should Avoid Cruise Travel, Regardless of Vaccination Status', 31 Pounds of Fentanyl Seized After Being Shipped to Maine Restaurant, Tens of Thousands of New Englanders Wake Up Monday to No Power, Man Convicted in Deadly 2021 Belmont Road Rage Attack: LIVE UPDATE, Patrice Bergeron Will Take Some Time Before Deciding Future With Bruins, Disastrous End to Bruins' 2022-23 Season Will Haunt the Franchise Forever. Wu said over 90% of the city's 18,000 workers are already vaccinated, but anyone who is not will have to do so by the Jan. 15 deadline as a condition of employment. The Department of Health and Human Services is offering a free option for Maine people who need a ride to and from a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. The latest guidance for health care workers and other vaccinators from the U.S. CDC. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Ojikutu projected that the city's case numbers will "rise significantly" in January based on the omicron variant's transmissibility. Peter's Bar & Grill Proof of vaccination required to sit inside; unvaccinated customers free to sit outdoors. "Welcome to the people's building," Wu said at one point in response to the boos. Sign in or Subscribe Most restaurants are flexible with the type of documentation they'll accept. COVID-19 Prevention Latest vaccine updates As vaccines become available, find the latest updates here. Ive heard a lot of people say that they are happy we are doing this, because it makes them feel safer when they dine in, Volk said. Ian Malin, the owner of Little Giant, said a recent spike in nationwide COVID-19 cases from the delta variant prompted him to return to requiring masks at his restaurant and requiring vaccines for everyone both indoors and out, unless a person is ineligible for the vaccine, in which case they can eat outside. Lawmakers hear testimony on bills to lift COVID vaccine mandates There are also some definite opponents of the vaccine requirement, including the owner of Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub in Portland, who told NBC affiliate News Center Maine that "the city of Portland should respect each business' right to implement their own vaccine mandate.'". Unvaccinated customers can still dine on the patio. Do I have to wear a face mask in Portland? For NPR News, I'm Robbie Feinberg in Portland, Maine. Use our website to find accommodations in Greater Portland and throughout the state of Maine. "I've been called a Nazi a lot in the past couple days. The COVID-19 federal public health emergencya separate declaration by the Secretary of Health and Human Services from January 2020remains in effect for now. Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director Dr. Bisola Ojikutu said the number of COVID-19 cases in Boston has increased almost 90% compared to two weeks ago, with the city now averaging 369 new cases a day. U-S-A!" Portland Restaurants Petition for COVID Vaccine Requirement at City Eateries Some restaurants in Portland, Maine, have signed onto a petition urging the city council to require patrons to be. March 23, 2021: All residents age 50 and older. The proof of vaccination requirement for indoor venues will go into effect starting Jan. 15 for everyone ages 12 and up. % See Offers. ISAAC MACDOUGAL: So I have been operating very, very cautiously throughout this entire pandemic in an effort to kind of build a clientele and create a space that felt safe for everybody. Robert Long, spokesman for the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Monday that while the agency does not issue replacement cards, those whove lost their card can email [emailprotected] or call 207-287-3746 to obtain a copy of their vaccination record, which would be sent by email or regular mail. All patrons and employees will be required to show proof that they have received at least one dose of vaccine. They were never going to be our guests. The Portland Hunt and Alpine Club, Crown Jewel and Little Giant have all recently said that anyone who eats at their establishments indoors must have received the shots. I didn't have a huge client base coming into this pandemic, so I was kind of walking a pretty thin line throughout the whole thing. Among restaurants in Maine, the Hunt & Alpine Club is still one of the few taking the plunge to require vaccination for indoor dining. In New York City, proof of vaccination will be required for indoor dining beginning Aug. 16. She's spent the last 10 years writing about restaurant technology and the future of hospitality and was among the first journalists to cover these topics with regularity. State Vaccination Requirements | CDC With the surge of the omicron variant across the country, many local officials are considering new restrictions to try to limit the spread. A statewide referendum on Tuesday's ballot asked whether voters wanted to overturn the law that eliminates religious and philosophical exemptions for childhood vaccines. On March 19, 2021, Governor Mills announced an acceleration to Maine's COVID-19 vaccination schedule. To find a booster dose, find a vaccination site. (SOUNDBITE OF YONDERLING'S "WEST WINDOW"). As the pandemic wore on and the restaurant's opening crept closer, Stowaway figured he'd break the big table into small ones. Maine allows more time for required vaccinations as new COVID-19 cases nearly double Enforcement will begin Oct. 29 rather than Oct. 1, to give health care workers more time to get fully. Childrenage 5 years can only get a Pfizer-BioNTech booster. She said hospital resources are "stretched thin" and that an estimated two-thirds of those hospitalized with COVID-19 in the city are unvaccinated. ", "We are not well if we are not vaccinated," added Heather White, founder and CEO of TRILLFIT fitness studio. If your 6-month to 4 year-old child receives the Pfizer vaccine, it is a three-dose primary series. Maine Vaccine Requirement to Stand - National League of Cities VERIFY: The COVID-19 vaccine is free in Maine, even if you don't have insurance. MACDOUGAL: My goal with signing this petition is to protect our frontline workers and our health care workers and keep them out of the hospital. "If the public health experts and our mayor believe proof of vaccination is in the best interest of public health, we too stand behind that decision. In Portland, Maine, several local restaurants are now calling on the City Council to require customers to get vaccines. Sign up and we'll help you stay connected to Vacationland by sending our twice-a-month newsletter to your inbox. A return to capacity limits and social distancing would be far worse . mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. Neither the city of New Orleans nor the state of Louisiana mandates vaccination for indoor dining. Chefs and restaurateurs instituting vaccine mandates may not be particularly thrilled to have to enforce compliance in customers weary from months of restrictions. New York state has launched a phone app, the Excelsior Pass, which contains uploaded information from a vaccination card, to make it easy for people to show their vaccination status to whoever needs to see it. What You Need to Know About Restaurant Vaccine Requirements - Food & Wine A proposal that would give Maine one of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country came up for . Tests are paid for by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and are offered free of charge. 2023 NEWS CENTER Maine. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. Where to get your COVID-19 vaccine if you live in Maine or New Hampshire but your doctor is out-of-state. Janet Mills signed a bill in May tightening vaccination rules for those attending school in Maine, but the stricter requirements don't . At times the chanting made it difficult for those at the podium to hear themselves speak. Major employers like Google, Tyson Foods, Walmart and others are joining health care systems in requiring vaccination as a condition of employment. Don't have a commenting profile? Diners can search restaurants based on those attributes, too. MACDOUGAL: Honestly, I haven't gotten any - I haven't had any problems. As vaccines become available, find the latest updates here. The U.S. military added the COVID-19 vaccine to its list of mandatory vaccinations on Monday. K. Immunization means a vaccine, antitoxin, or other substances used to increase an Learn more. What events are happening this week/month in Portland? Supporters argue that a mandate would help both workers and diners feel safer and help restaurants stay open during the current wave of COVID-19 cases.