Since the start of the New Year, Philadelphia area breweries were required to ask for proof of vaccination status. Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole shared in a statement that “any place that sells food or drinks to be consumed on-site will have to require that everyone who enters be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.”

It has now been announced that changes are being made to the mandates. In a statement released by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health on Wednesday, February 16th new updates were made to how COVID mandates would impact bars, restaurants, and breweries in Philadelphia.

Most notably the city has determined that they will currently operate under a “Mask Precaution” level. This means the following:

• • No vaccine requirement for places that serve food or drink. 
  • Masks required in indoor public places. 

This is not an end to the vaccine mandate. Instead, it is being treated as a temporary pause. If COVID cases were to rise again, the mandate would return through a new Covid Response Level system. Individual businesses can choose to continue any mandates they decide.

The Health Department has developed four COVID-19 response levels. Each level is associated with how the City’s public mandates will be enforced.

The response levels are triggered by meeting the following thresholds (the lowest level for which the city meets metrics will apply):

Level 4: Extreme Caution 

• • Two or more of the following are true:
    • Average new cases per day is 500 or more. 
    • Hospitalizations are 500 or more. 
    • Percent positivity is 10% or more. 
    • Cases have risen by more than 50% in the previous 10 days.

Level 3: Caution 

• • Three or more of the following are true: 
    • Average new cases per day is less than 500. 
    • Hospitalizations are under 500. 
    • Percent positivity is under 10%. 
    • Cases have not risen by more than 50% in the previous 10 days.

Level 2: Mask Precautions 

• • Three or more of the following are true: 
    • Average new cases per day is less than 225 (this is approximately the cut-off between CDC’s “high” and “substantial” levels of transmission). 
    • Hospitalizations are under 100. 
    • Percent positivity is under 5%. 
    • Cases have not risen by more than 50% in the previous 10 days.

Level 1: All Clear 

• • Three or more of the following are true: 
    • Average new cases per day is less than 100 (this is approximately the cut-off between CDC’s “substantial” and “moderate” levels of transmission). 
    • Hospitalizations are under 50. 
    • Percent positivity is under 2%. 
    • Cases have not risen by more than 50% in the previous 10 days. 

So what does this mean for consumers? When the city is in each level above, that means the following:

When the City is in Level 4 (Extreme Caution): 

• • You will need to present proof that you’re fully vaccinated to eat indoors.
  • You will need to wear a mask while in indoor public places. 

When the City is in Level 3 (Caution): 

• • You will need to present proof that you’re fully vaccinated or a have negative test from a lab or that is administered onsite to eat indoors.
  • You will need to wear a mask while in indoor public places. 

When the City is in Level 2 (Mask Precautions): 

• • You will need to wear a mask while in indoor public places. 

When the City is in Level 1 (All Clear): 

• • No COVID-19 mandates will be enforced.