The highly anticipated annual March for Life event in Washington D.C. is pushing through this year despite new vaccine mandates established by Mayor Muriel Bowser. The 49th annual March for life is set for January 21, six days after Mayor Bowser's vaccine mandate is set to take effect in Washington D.C., where the event regularly takes place.
According to the Christian Post, Mayor Bowser's new policies require those who wish to enter ""restaurants, bars and nightclub establishments," "indoor entertainment establishments," "indoor exercise and recreational establishments" and "indoor event and meeting establishments" to show proof that they have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine beginning January 15.
Starting on that day, patrons who wish to enter most indoor establishments in Washington D.C. are required to show proof of having received two doses of the COVID vaccine. The only indoor establishments not included in the vaccine mandate are houses of worship, grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals and other medical facilities, as well as "big box stores and retail establishments where people tend to be in motion and not standing or seated in close proximity to others for long periods of time," and a number of government facilities.
Those who will not linger inside a facility such as those picking up fast food orders for takeout are not required to show proof of vaccination.
The annual March for Life event that will take place this year is the first to take place following the COVID pandemic outbreak almost two years ago. In March last year, a scaled-back version of the protest was held last year with a small group of pro-life advocate leaders attending in person and a virtual livestream that was attended by thousands across America. The annual pro-life gathering often occurs during the the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize abortion in the U.S.
The 2022 March for Life event comes just as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to decide in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, which could empower states to decide how they want to regulate abortion. March for Life President Jeanne Mancini in a statement that the 49th annual March for life, which will take place on January 21, in Washington D.C. will "proceed as planned" and will feature a kick off concert with Matthew West at 11 in the morning, followed by a rally at noon, and the march to the Supreme Court at 1:15 p.m.
"While the March for Life itself is not affected, our indoor events will have a few modifications due to the District of Columbia's current Covid regulations," the statement read.
Meanwhile, ahead of the March of Life event in Washington D.C., thousands of pro-life advocates from Illinois and the Midwest are expected to come together on Saturday for March for Life Chicago, CBN News reported. This year's theme is "Save Midwestern Lives."
March for Life Chicago reported that in 2019, Illinois performed up to 46,517 abortions, a statistic that showed a 10% increase from the previous year. Chicago has high abortion rates as well, while Cook County, which surrounds Chicago, reported 23,189 abortions in 2018.
