3 Things You Need to Dine Inside Chicago Restaurants Starting January 3rd

The omicron variant is starting to spread at alarming rates. New mitigation efforts will be going into effect in 2022, affecting more than just restaurants.

Mayor Lightfoot announces new Chicago COVID restrictions

A new wide-ranging vaccine mandate will be going into effect across the city of Chicago beginning on Monday, January 3, 2022.

The mandate applies to anyone 5 and older who is eligible to get vaccinated and who will be inside the business for more than 10 minutes.

The 3 things you'll need to eat, workout, or be entertained indoors in Chicago

• A mask (worn properly)
• Opinions kept to yourself
• Proof of full vaccination

It's a mandate that not everyone feels compelled to follow, but should. If you're not the employee or owner of the bar, restaurant or entertainment venue, your opinion on the mandate doesn't matter. If these variants keep spreading at the rates they are, our favorite spots will be shut down again.

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The Omicron Variant Threat is Very Real

The president of the Illinois Restaurant Association said,

"Chicago's hospitality community is in a very fragile stage of recovery. Throughout the pandemic, the industry has prioritized customer and team member safety above all else.

We encourage all diners to please lend their cooperation, respect and kindness to the employees working to comply with the new mandate..."

Omicron variant is potentially deadly for unvaccinated people

Those were some of the words President Biden shared during his national address on omicron on Tuesday (12/21). Biden said,

"If you're not fully vaccinated, you have good reason to be concerned."

The new mandate only applies to bars, restaurants, gyms and entertainment venues that serve food and drink; it does not include houses of worship or grocery stores.

I sure could go for a Chicago-style hotdog right now.