Brookline To Require Proof Of COVID Vaccine At Many Businesses; Violators Could Face $300 Fine
BROOKLINE (CBS) – The Town of Brookline will require proof of COVID vaccination to enter many businesses starting Saturday.
Proof will be required in sit-down restaurants, gyms and entertainment venues. The requirement does not apply to businesses offering takeout food only.
The town said the new order will start in phases. Beginning Saturday, anyone 12 and older must provide proof they received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. Phase 2 begins February 22, when everyone 12 and up must prove they are fully vaccinated.
The third phase begins March 22, when customers 5-to-11 years old must show they have received at least one dose. By May 1, all customers 5 and older must be fully vaccinated to enter applicable businesses.
Violators face fines of $300.
Public safety, public health, and emergency services personnel are exempt from the policy.
No proof of vaccination will be required for people entering businesses for a "quick, limited purpose" such as using a restroom or picking up a takeout order.
Schools, child care facilities, senior centers, and community centers are not impacted.
"This approach helps to protect our entire community as we approach the start of the third year of a pandemic that's touched all of our lives," Interim Health Commissioner Patrick Maloney said in a statement