Lake County Gazette

Illinois residents are bearing the brunt of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's latest COVID-19 vaccination mandate, according to state Rep. Chris Bos.

“This proof of COVID vaccination mandate is another unilateral decision that is placing an excessive and inconsistent burden on our families and our small businesses,” Bos said at a recent news conference on the issue. “We have to stop for a moment and realize that this raises serious privacy concerns for personal medical information, not only for individuals but for the businesses that are being forced to police this policy."

In Chicago, the proof of vaccine rule for businesses and park districts across the state will apply to everyone age 5 and older and includes such establishments as restaurants, bars, gyms and other venues like sports and entertainment arenas, NBC Chicago reported.  

Bos takes exception.

“We're not talking about showing your child’s proof of TDAP vaccine to the school nurse, a medical professional,” he added. “Your child's vaccination status is kept in their private record. What this proof of COVID vaccination does is force people to divulge private, personal medical information and a photo ID to the host at Denny's or the front desk clerk at the LA Fitness, who very well may be just simply be a teenager.”

Bos further argues to put such a strain on already stressed out small business owners strikes him as just more undue burden.

“Countless businesses that I talk to on a daily basis are struggling to find staff to keep their doors open,” he said. “Here in my communities throughout the pandemic, not a single restaurant was lost, but opening back up we've lost two already because they cannot find enough staff to work. This adds to that burden. They don't want to play police. Let me be clear, this isn't an issue supporting vaccines or not, this was a unilateral decision by the (Cook County board President Toni) Preckwinkle Administration, who followed the lead just like Gov. Pritzker and has been happy to sidestep the legislative process and produce inconsistent policies that once again target some but not others.”

According to Bos, small business owners are unfairly affected.  

“The way this is written, you can go to Walmart walk around the store no issue, but you can't visit the independent franchise-owned Subway inside of the Walmart without your vaccine card,” he said. “You can go to the mall and spend all day long walking around that mall, you can go to the food court and get your food and leave, and go sit in one of those comfy couch areas and eat your food. Again, inconsistency in these mandates is leading to detrimental effects.”