Philadelphia’s latest indoor dining vaccination requirements are a hypocritical, bureaucratic mess.

The city announced it would implement a policy requiring all guests at indoor dining establishments to provide proof of vaccination. This will also apply to movie theaters, bars, and sporting venues of the city’s professional teams. The mandate addresses a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the city, and it goes into effect starting Jan. 3. Yet, the fact that the city is waiting until Jan. 3 — after the holiday season, in which restaurants see an increase in business, is hypocritical nonsense. If the situation is so dire and the risk is so great, why wait until after the holidays?