What you can do with proof of COVID vaccination in California, and how can you show it
California is not making COVID vaccinations mandatory.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration’s has said the state isn’t yet considering a government-issued vaccine passport, and the Biden administration has said the same at the federal level.
But showing your proof of vaccination could unlock a slew of activities, from large indoor receptions to more crowded sporting events. It’s good news for nearly a quarter of Californians who are fully vaccinated as of Thursday.
That is per California’s current reopening blueprint which was updated Tuesday. The state is using its color-coded tier system at least until June 15, when California is expected to lift most of its restrictions.
Here’s what to know about what you can do when you’re vaccinated and how you can prove it.
How do I know that I’m fully vaccinated?
You’re considered fully vaccinated two weeks after you got your second dose of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or your single dose of a Johnson & Johnson shot.
How can I prove that I’m fully vaccinated?
More ways than you think, according to the California Department of Public Health. Here is the list. Just one of these will do:
▪ Vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided, and date last dose administered);
▪ A photo of a vaccination card as a separate document;
▪ A photo of your vaccine card stored on a phone or electronic device;
▪ Documentation of vaccination from a health care provider.
Eventually, you may be able to show your vaccination status through an app. Orange County, for instance, is testing that now.
Tell me the fun part: What can I do now that I’m fully vaccinated?
It depends on what tier your county is in. For the counties in the red tier, which currently includes much of the Sacramento region and Central Valley, you can do the following.
▪ Attend a private event of up to 200 people outdoors, and 100 people indoors;
▪ Attend an indoor event filled to 25% of the venue’s capacity if it’s 1,500 or under; 20% otherwise.
For the counties in the orange tier, which is where the most of California is at, you can do the following:
▪ Attend a private event of up to 300 people outdoors, and 150 people indoors;
▪ Attend an indoor event filled to 35% of the venue’s capacity;
▪ Go to an indoor amusement park filled to 50% of its capacity;
▪ Go to outdoor live events (e.g. sports and concerts) filled to 67% of its capacity.
Gyms, cardrooms and amusement parks are among the venues that can increase their capacity to 50% if they have visitors who have either tested negative within 72 hours (24 hours for antigen tests) or been fully vaccinated.
For the counties in the least restrictive yellow tier, you can do the following:
▪ Attend a private event of up to 400 people outdoors, and 200 people indoors;
▪ Attend an indoor event filled to 50% of the venue’s capacity;
▪ Go to an indoor amusement park filled to 75% of its capacity.
In those counties in the yellow tier, movie theaters, gyms, restaurants, wineries and cardrooms are among the venues that can increase their capacity to 75% if they have visitors that have either tested negative or been fully vaccinated. Bars could also accept more people as well.
One caveat: To go to those larger events and venues, it’s not just about you who need to be fully vaccinated. Everyone at those places should either be vaccinated or tested negative, according to the blueprint. Also, fully vaccinated workers don’t count toward any capacity limit, according to the blueprint.
Finally, people who are not fully vaccinated can still go to smaller events and emptier venues. Check the blueprint for capacity limits.
What is a vaccinated-only section?
Venues can also establish a separate section reserved only for those who are fully vaccinated. If you’re in the section, you don’t have to be physically distanced. But face coverings are required. The section needs to be at least 12 feet apart from any other sections in the venue.
I’m fully vaccinated, but my kids aren’t. Can they join me in the vaccinated-only section?
Children who are not eligible to be vaccinated may sit with their parent, guardian or sponsor in the section if they have tested negative. The testing requirement is waived for children younger than 2.
I’m from out of state, but I’m fully vaccinated. Can I go to California for events restricted to in-state residents?
Yes (But do wear a mask when traveling!).
My employer is requiring me to get vaccinated. Do I have to use my sick leave for that?
No. If your company is mandating vaccination, it must treat the time you take to get vaccinated as “hours worked,” according to the Department of Industrial Relations. That includes travel time for you to be vaccinated.
“Under this definition, one way to determine whether time a worker spends performing a task must be paid as time worked is whether the employer exercised control over the worker by requiring the worker to perform that task,” the department said. “An employer cannot require the worker to utilize paid leave if the time is considered “hours worked” as referenced above.”
