PORTLAND, Ore. — In all likelihood, most business owners will tell you the last year has been difficult. The owner of River Pig Saloon, located in Northwest Portland and Bend, is no exception.
"In terms of work, this industry, this state, it's been a challenging year," Ramzy Hattar said. "So many hurdles and punches to take."
Sadly it is not getting any easier for Hattar, at least for now.
As part of its updated guidance on masks and physical distancing, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced Tuesday that businesses can drop mask requirements indoors if customers can provide a proof of vaccination. This means business owners must come up with a way to check for proof of vaccination.
"We aren't in a position and we don't feel comfortable asking customers for proof of their vaccination cards," Hattar said.
Local health leaders understand how this new guidance could be seen as a burden, but they say it is the only way to move forward right now.
"I think at this time we have to go back to what the situation is on the ground in Oregon," Dr. Dean Sidelinger said. "We know that over half of individuals aren't fully vaccinated against COVID and we have a significant amount of disease spreading in the community."
That, coupled with Hatta's belief that it is not his or his staff's right to ask for proof of vaccination, is why he will still require patrons to wear masks when they are not sitting at a table.
"We all wish the masks would go away, and the virus would go away, but it's still here and the rules are still here," Hattar said.
Hattar says stricter rules, at least at River Pig Saloon, will remain in place until the pandemic is behind us.
"It is what it is right now and we have to continue rolling with the punches, adapting, and moving forward."
The new task of checking for proof of vaccination does not apply to public transportation, schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, or correctional institutions. That is because OHA is still mandating masks and physical distancing in those public settings. OHA is not requiring masks outdoors anymore, although it recommends masks in large crowds.