While some greeted the end of Washington, D.C.,’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate with cheers, others were dismayed — including one district lawmaker who is already making moves to bring it back.
Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau drafted emergency legislation that would reinstate the citywide vaccine mandate for indoor businesses, announcing the bill Tuesday — the same day the order was lifted. If passed, the legislation would re-implement vaccine requirements for residents over age 12 in restaurants, entertainment venues, and other recreational establishments.
“Without consulting with the Council of the District of Columbia, without warning, without giving reasons tied to the status of healthcare access in the District, and without regard for the needs of vulnerable residents, including young children and immunocompromised individuals, the Mayor announced that the proof of vaccination requirement established by her earlier order would no longer be in effect as of February 15, 2022,” Nadeau said in a statement. “The … circumstances have made it clear that the vaccine requirement established by the Mayor’s Order is still necessary to protect District residents.”
Although the legislation was drafted Tuesday, it can’t be introduced before the council until its next legislative meeting, which is scheduled for March 1. That means a vote likely won’t be held for another two weeks — and even then, Mayor Muriel Bowser could veto the decision.
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However, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson could call an emergency legislative meeting before then to vote on the measure. Nadeau’s office told the Washington Examiner that the councilwoman plans to request a special session this week to expedite the process.
It’s unclear whether Mendelson will call for an earlier vote, and his office did not respond to comment from the Washington Examiner.
Bowser announced Monday the districtwide vaccine mandate would expire Tuesday, exactly one month after it was implemented. The mayor rejected the view that revocation was a premature move, arguing the city is in a “much better place” than it was at the height of the omicron variant surge.
“We have to be nimble if something is to change, like it changed in December with a new, very contagious variant,” Bowser said in a press conference. “I don’t think any of us can say here that there won’t be other variants that would require us to do something different.”
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Nadeau shot back, contending the vaccine mandate helped protect businesses and their patrons.
“As a [councilwoman], and a parent of 2 kids under 5, I am flabbergasted and angry,” Nadeau tweeted on Monday. “Why would we give up on vaccines when we have come this far? Why are we not protecting the workers in these industries? Why are we telling parents we don’t care if they participate in society? I’m so F-ing mad.”
A majority of district residents favored the vaccine mandates, according to a poll released by the Washington Post on Tuesday. The citywide survey found that 3 in 4 residents supported the requirement to show proof of vaccination before entering a business. Sixty-three percent said the level of restrictions imposed has been “the right amount.”
The vaccine mandate had support across various demographics — 86% of white residents, 63% of black residents — and the majority of support across different age groups and education levels, according to poll analysis from the newspaper.
The poll was taken over a two-week period beginning Feb. 1 and ending Monday, the day Bowser announced the vaccine mandate would be lifted. The survey was conducted among a random sample of 904 adults in Washington and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Bowser also lifted the district’s mask mandate effective March 1, no longer requiring face coverings for patrons to enter indoor businesses. However, they will still be required inside schools, on public transportation, and in healthcare facilities.
Although no longer required, the district will maintain its mask advisory, meaning the government strongly encourages residents to continue wearing masks. It’s unclear whether members of the D.C. Council will draft legislation to extend the mask requirements in addition to the vaccine mandate.
If passed, Nadeau’s emergency legislation would reinstate the same requirements that Bowser’s initial vaccine mandate implemented. The bill would take effect immediately after approval from the mayor and would last for 90 days.
