Lori Lightfoot of Chicago said Monday she wanted to keep her administration from imposing additional lockdowns as she deals with Covid infections. But she added that it was not possible for her to take such an option “off the table” in the face of the recent omicron surge.

Lightfoot (a Democrat) stated that “Look, I want to ensure we never close down again.”

She stated that the incident was “devastating for our economy, small-business owners, and employees.” While I understand that it is necessary to make that decision, my ultimate goal is to ensure that this does not happen.

Lightfoot made these remarks on the exact same day her city began requiring proof of Covid vaccination for most residents to enter indoor spacesThese include bars, restaurants, and gyms.

In response to an “alarming rise” of Covid cases, the new rules were imposed due primarily to the highly transmissible omicron variant, Lightfoot’s office said late last month. The statement stated that Chicago’s requirements were similar to other cities.

New York City’s rules regarding proof of vaccination for its customers prompted an August legal challenge from a number of restaurants. But a judge prevailed. threw the case outSeptember

The courts have also challenged vaccine mandates that are imposed on workers from other states or cities. New York City, New Mexico, Maine, and other states have been upheld by The Supreme Court. The high court will hear arguments FridayAbout the Biden Administration’s plan to make it mandatory for all companies employing 100 workers or more to adopt a federal vaccine test policy.

Lightfoot was asked if Chicago’s vaccination policy would stop a rise in cases similar to those in the U.S. Lightfoot replied, “What it’s going do is force people to get vaccinated.”

She said, “What we are seeing is that the overwhelming majority are not in ICU beds and the ICU beds are empty. Unfortunately, those who are dying from complications are unvaccinated.” “It is not even close.”

We will be able to make a substantial number of people vaccinated if they are willing to go to bars and restaurants and use the gyms, which is a huge step forward in saving lives.

CNBC asked Lightfoot if he thought it possible to stop in-person learning once more in an effort to reduce the spread of this virus. Mayor Lightfoot assured CNBC that schools will remain open while insisting that they are “fundamentally safe”.

Lightfoot stated that remote learning was used as an alternative to in-person instruction and it had a devastating effect on families. It was implemented by schools across the country at the beginning of the pandemic.

Our schools do not contribute to significant spread. Community spread is the problem. However, we have to ensure that our kids are educated. This is what Chicago plans to do,” she stated.