Few London restaurants continue with proof of COVID-19 vaccination

This is the day many Ontario restaurants have been waiting for.

“I don’t think it’s overdue,” said Mark Kitching of Waldo’s on King in London, Ontario. “I think we did what we needed to do. Like I say, it’s been over two years now. Time to get on with life.”

And getting on with life in a pandemic-weary world means lifting the proof of COVID-19 requirement to dine inside a restaurant, which took effect Tuesday.

At the White Oaks Mall food court, General Manager Jeff Wilson said the vaccine certificate program served a purpose, but also placed undue burden on businesses that were already struggling through the ups and downs of pandemic protocols.

“It was a very costly endeavour for our tenants,” said Wilson. “We have to bring on more staff to ensure that all the requirements are met. You know now that we’re in a place where people are more confident, those restrictions are lifted, we’re happy to make it more available to people.”

White Oaks shoppers Warren Martin and his wife Valerie Martin say they’re comfortable eating in the large, open spaced area of the White Oaks food court, but they wouldn’t be so comfortable going into an actual restaurant.

“You know I still don’t feel that much comfortable going into tight quarters in a restaurant yet,” said Mr. Martin. “We just had so many family members now that had COVID just over the last month or so,” added Mrs. Martin. “Some of them had it pretty bad.”Mark Kitching at Waldo's on King, March 1, 2022. (Bryan Bicknell / CTV News)The province says restaurants may continue to ask for proof of vaccination if they wish, but very few London restaurants appear to be keeping up the practice.

One exception is The Morrissey House, which posted the following message to its customers on social media.

“…even though Ontario is allowing establishments to eschew passports at their entrances, we will continue to ask for proof of vaccination… We want our staff to be able to feel comfortable and safe when they come to work and for our patrons to also feel comfortable at The Morrissey.”

The owner of The Morrissey House declined CTV News London’s request to be interviewed, citing some backlash after making his position public. However, replies to the social media thread also show a great deal of support for his decision.

London Mayor Ed Holder has been a big supporter of the vaccine certificate program. Last month he asked restaurants to keep it going, even after the March 1 expiry date.

The mayor is now asking people to respect each restaurant’s decision.

“Please accept with grace that the businesses and organizations making the choice now to proceed are only trying to do what’s best for their employees and their customers,” said Holder in a virtual news briefing on Tuesday. “If you don’t like it you have the freedom to go someplace else.”

Meantime, in that same news conference, Middlesex-London Health Unit’s Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers, offered a sobering reminder in light of the lifting of vaccine requirements.

“The rate of COVID-19 transmission in our community is still higher than at any point before the Omicron wave,” said Summers.