Heading to a bar or gym in Berkeley? Be prepared to show proof of vaccination

If you're heading to a gym, restaurant or bar in Berkeley, be prepared to show proof you're fully vaccinated. 

The city health department will begin enforcing a new health order to require proof of vaccination to enter certain businesses. 

On Friday, the new rule applies to any customer who wants to go to a gym, restaurant, bar or theater in the city of Berkeley. 

If they're over the age of 12, they will need to show proof of vaccination to go in.

Workers at those businesses will need to provide proof of vaccination by Oct. 15. 

Also on that date, the city of Berkeley will expand the outdoor order to include adult the adult care facilities, dental offices, pharmacies, and, home health care workers.

City health officials say the reason behind these orders: the delta variant, and how easily it can spread - especially in enclosed, indoor spaces, like gyms and bars.

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin spoke to KTVU about the new requirements.

"Roughly 80 percent of our city is vaccinated, but we have many people visiting us through the year," he said, adding that he hoped this mandate would change behavior.

Berkeley's vaccine requirement for customers comes just about a month after San Francisco implemented a similar order.

Berkeley's order does not apply to customers walking into a restaurant or cafe to pick up take-out orders.