On December 22, 2021, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot set forth a mandate requiring proof of vaccination from Covid-19 for anyone patronizing bars, restaurants, gyms, or other indoor venues where food or drink are being served.
This mandate was enacted without a vote by the city council, circumventing the democratic process. Similar mandates enacted in other large cities such as New York and Los Angeles have proven to be ineffective, as cases in those municipalities continue to rise.
The mayoral decree places an undue burden on businesses that have already suffered financial hardships created by the governmental overreach of Covid-19 mitigation. Additionally, the largest numbers of unvaccinated Chicagoans reside in underserved communities. This mandate creates second-class citizens out of a population that overwhelmingly consists of people of color and the economically disadvantaged.
Individual bodily autonomy is a basic human right that must be afforded to all members of a free society. The Libertarian Party of Chicago vehemently opposes Mayor Lightfoot’s latest authoritarian directive and calls for an immediate repeal of all vaccine mandates citywide.