Mayor Stoney announced Wednesday that the City of Richmond will require all city employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 1.
“We take this step not only to ensure the health and safety of our employees and their families, but also to safeguard the comfort and well-being of residents, customers, visitors and the public at large,” said Mayor Stoney. “The vaccine is our greatest tool to save lives and truly beat this pandemic.”
According to the announcement, city employees who are already vaccinated will be asked to prove their vaccination status through the Virginia Department of Health. Those who are not currently vaccinated are required to begin the vaccination process so that they are fully vaccinated by October 1.
When appropriate, medical and religious exemptions will be granted. Medical exemption requests must be signed by a licensed medical provider, and religious exemption requests must be notarized. The press release says that all unvaccinated employees will be required to adhere to appropriate precautionary measures, in accordance with guidance from the Virginia Department of Health.
The policy will apply to all city employees, including those who telework. Those who do not comply will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the Department of Human Resources guidelines.
Virginia Scope is an independent news publication that is funded largely by donations and subscribers. As local newsrooms are losing writers each day, we are trying to fill the void to ensure that the public is informed and that leaders are held accountable for their actions. If you can chip in a monthly subscription of whatever you can afford, even $1, it will go a long way to helping us. Subscribe here. You can also make a one-time donation below:
A precise & well-wrtitten post. Thanks heaps for sharing it.