Tampa Bay Businesses Discuss Vaccine Passport Ban, Masks

FLORIDA — In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order banning vaccine passports — documentation that indicates whether an individual has received the COVID-19 vaccine or not — in Florida.

This executive order prohibits businesses from asking customers to see proof of their vaccination status before providing services or allowing them entry.

"Requiring so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports for taking part in everyday life – such as attending a sporting event, patronizing a restaurant or going to a movie would create two classes of citizens based on vaccination, and…it is necessary to protect the fundamental rights and privacies of Floridians and the free flow of commerce within the state," according to the executive order.

Months after the governor signed the order, Florida will begin enforcing it Sept. 16, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Businesses that ask customers to show proof of vaccination will be fined $5,000 per violation.

“I think it's completely stupid. We should be able to do what we want to. We should be able to refuse anyone" who doesn't fall under a protected class, Tom DeGeorge, owner of Crowbar in Tampa and an advocate for small businesses throughout the pandemic, said.

Since he can’t ask concertgoers their vaccination status, the music venue plans to ask for a negative test result for certain concerts, he said. “If the customer chooses to voluntarily present proof of (vaccination) instead, they may. We’ve been told by governor’s office that this is completely legal.”

The concerts requiring a negative test will include this information at checkout when purchasing tickets. It all comes down to the artist who is performing, though DeGeorge said if it was up to him, he’d ask for a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of vaccination for every show.

“Some bands don’t want anything — no negative test and no vaccination proof — and some just want masks (in the venue,)” he said. “It’s a business and everybody knows their own fanbase. If they’re (a) country act, most hip hop (acts) or a metal band,” they probably won’t ask for a test or vaccination proof.

DeGeorge added that all members of his staff are vaccinated.

Luke Beerman, the owner of Freedom Fence, which serves the Sarasota and Bradenton areas, said he’s against the idea of vaccine passports.

“I personally fall into the category (of) the less government involvement the better, as government can often times makes things worse than better,” he said. “Trust each individual to make the right decision for themselves with the advice of their healthcare provider and then also trust them to live with the consequences of the good or bad decisions they make.”

He added that he understands that the vaccine is “a divisive topic, but we need to band together as Americans and respect each other for whatever private health decisions they make for themselves.”

As for his employees, they’re required to stay home if they’re feeling sick and there’s a mandatory two-week quarantine in place if they test positive for COVID-19. They also work in small crews outdoors, even when meeting with clients.

“Our sales team will wear a mask on request, but for the most part, since we are meeting with people outside, it is very easy to maintain a minimum 6-feet distance from our clients,” Beerman said.

His sales and administrative staff have mostly been working at home since the pandemic started, anyway. And his field crews usually only interact with each other, so they're not required to wear masks. It’s more dangerous for them to wear masks while doing labor-intensive work in the heat, he said.

Amanda Sklar, owner of Ozona Pizza in Palm Harbor, has been an outspoken proponent of wearing masks in public and other COVID-19 safety protocols. But she draws the line at asking customers their vaccination status.

“Vaccines are medical. We are a pizzeria. That isn’t our business. Whether someone has a (vaccine) or not isn’t our concern. Just wear a mask (because) we serve immune-compromised people,” she said.

The owner of Portkey Books in Safety Harbor, said she’s also more concerned about her customers wearing masks than sharing their vaccination status.

“I think businesses have the right to ask, but I think it makes for an uncomfortable situation. I wouldn’t know how to verify that customers have provided a truthful response or how to determine a valid vaccine card from a counterfeit one. It’s not something that I care to take on,” Crystel Calderon said.

She added, “If everyone complied with wearing masks, determining the validity to their vaccination response would not be necessary.”

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She asks both vaccinated and unvaccinated customers to wear their face masks in her shop. She also offers disposable masks for those who don’t have one.

Lorin Oberweger, who is based in Tampa and owns Free Expressions Seminars & Literary Services, said she thinks businesses should ask for proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test.

“As someone who puts on workshops and plans to return to some live offerings, I do plan to ask folks for the above. I’m dreading potential pushback, but the population of people I work with—writers—tend to be smart and understanding, so fingers crossed that everyone understands,” she said.

The recent spread of the virus stems from the messaging about safety protocols, like masks, as the state and national level, Oberweger added.

“I feel like our local leaders try to do better, but the larger powers-that-be have created a pretty untenable situation already,” she said. “That said, actual support for mask mandates, proof of vaccination, etc., would be helpful. But it also feels almost futile at this point.”