California restaurant bars any customer who has had Covid-19 vaccine
30 July 2021, 11:52
An Italian restaurant in south California is banning any customer who has had the coronavirus vaccine.
A sign on the window of Basilico's Pasta e Vino, an Italian restaurant in Huntington Beach southeast of Los Angeles, requires customers to show "proof of being unvaccinated", American news outlets have reported.
"We have zero tolerance for treasonous, anti-American stupidity. Thank you for pondering," text at the bottom of the sign reads.
The pasta restaurant shared images of its signs on Facebook, writing: "More American counties, cities, and businesses doubling down on anti-American lockdown mandates? Well 'Basilico's Pasta e Vino' just tripled down: From day one, never complied, banned masks, and now ... requiring proof of being Un-vaccinated!"
HEY CITY OF PASADENA, TAKE THAT! More American counties, cities, and businesses doubling down on anti-American lockdown...
Posted by Basilico's Pasta E Vino on Thursday, July 22, 2021
The restaurant's owner, Tony Roman, told NBC Los Angeles that he is pledging the Italian eatery as a "constitutional battleground".
Just 57.7% of Americans aged 12 and up are fully vaccinated against coronavirus, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and there are concerns over the spread of the Delta variant.
Earlier this week, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps took to Twitter to confirm reports that double-jabbed travellers arriving from the US and EU will be allowed to enter England without the need for self-isolation from 4am on Monday.
People will still need to do a pre-departure test before reaching England and a PCR test on their second day in the country.
He also confirmed the resumption of international cruises and the introduction of flexible testing programmes "to help key workers and drive our economic recovery".
Mr Shapps wrote: "We're helping reunite people living in the US and European countries with their family and friends in the UK.
Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: "The significance of this decision can't be overestimated. It will pump vital cash into the travel economy, and help salvage the rest of the summer.
"Inbound visitors deliver billions of pounds to the economy and they can be welcomed safely. It's especially good news for our airlines who need to fill their seats across the Atlantic."
The move follows Boris Johnson telling LBC that a travel corridor between the UK and US that allows people to "come freely in a way that they normally do" was being considered.
Boris Johnson told LBC: "We want people to be able to come from the US freely in a way that they normally do. We’re talking to them the whole time.
"At the moment we’re dealing with a Delta wave, the US is dealing with a Delta wave, but be assured that we are on it the whole time."
