The general manager of Northalsted gay sauna/bathhouse Steamworks recently defended the venue's policy that only fully vaccinated individuals can enter the space.
Someone who self-identified "as a former customer" wrote a letter to management saying, in part, "I find it funny that you now require proof of these experimental vaccines that don't even work for a 99% survivable virus that the CDC admitted the tests don't separate from other flu viruses." [Note: This information has not been authenticated.]
"YET, night after night after night anyone freely takes raw loads up their asses with no verification if the stranger has HIV or anything else.
"Your business is beyond a laughingstock at this point. Do the community a favor and close your doors. Seriously, this is embarrassing!"
The letter concluded with "GET WOKE! GO BROKE!"
Steamworks General Manager Nirmalpal Sachdev replied, in part, "Please, please take the pandemic and your health seriously. 99% of all deaths from COVID-19 in June and July were from unvaccinated people. 95% of all hospitalizations currently in Chicago are from unvaccinated people. The antibodies you believe protect you are not fool proof against all strains of COVID-19. The current negative ICU bed status in Mississippi is real. The [700,000] Americans dead from this virus is less than two years is real. More Americans have died from COVID-19 than in all the wars that the US has fought combined. This is real.
"No one is forcing a vaccine on you. You need to make that decision for yourself. Vaccines have been mandatory for all school age children since you were a child. If you went to public or private school as a kid then you got vaccines against small pox, polio, etc., Mandating vaccinations for the good of public health has been a long standing public health measure. That's why the very [conservative] Supreme Court would not hear a case against Indiana University for mandating their students be vaccinated before coming back to class.
"The LGBTQ community has been through a virus and it took too many of our friends and family. We've gotten better with medications and now those with HIV are living longer and feeling healthier every day.
"It breaks my heart that I talk to so many people that have still not gotten vaccinated against COVID-19. I worry about them. I worry about you. You can hate me/us and the rest of the WOKE people later. Stay alive and live to hate us another day."
Sachdev sent Steamworks Chicago's policy to Windy City Times, adding that it has been in place since the spot reopened June 17. The policy states, "Businesses are responsible for verifying that patrons are fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated is at least 14 days from your second shot of the two-shot vaccines or 14 days from your one-shot vaccine. Proof of valid full vaccination must be presented and verified to get a Steamworks membership and enter the facility. Acceptable methods of proving fully vaccinated status to gain entry are: Showing your completed vaccination card, a photo/photocopy and/or electronic proof of your vaccination records. Your vaccination record must match your state or government issued ID name and date of birth. This protocol will also allow all patrons to enjoy our facilities with the least number of COVID-19 restrictions."
Andrew Davis