Mendocino County said to be preparing vaccination mandate as coronavirus hospitalizations rise

Mendocino County’s public health officer has announced he’ll prepare an order requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for restaurant employees and customers who want to dine indoors in response to spiking coronavirus-related hospitalizations.

“Increasing hospitalizations and ICU admissions are stressing our hospital, and now we are seeing an increase in the number of deaths, mainly younger people, those who are unvaccinated,” Dr. Andy Coren told county supervisors on Aug. 31.

Once the order is prepared and issued, Coren said it will “protect employees and patrons without harming access to business or the community’s access to food.”

Exemptions to the vaccination requirement will be considered, and patrons still have the option of dining outdoors or doing takeout.

The county has seen more than 6,000 COVID cases, a third of that affecting the Latino community. About 60 people have died as the result of the virus. Coren said the approaching winter season, with holidays and more increased indoor events, has potential to continue to drive infections — which are already spiked because of the delta variant.

Supervisor Maureen Hulheren said the order had the effect of “targeting small business” and is a more restrictive step than is taken in other areas.

John Strangio, who operates the Ukiah Valley Athletic Club with his family, told the Ukiah Daily Journal that he and other local business owners are very concerned about the negative impact the proposed new vaccine mandate will have on local businesses, which he described as already suffering.

Strangio said he recently took his family to a local pizza parlor for one of his son’s birthdays, and “we were the only people inside.” He said he believes the vaccine mandates will “destroy” local businesses that are already struggling to survive