LA To Require City Employees To Get Vaccinated Or Take Weekly COVID Test
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — As coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to rise, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Council President Nury Martinez announced Tuesday that all city employees will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly negative COVID-19 tests.
"The fourth wave is here, and the choice for Angelenos couldn't be clearer -- get vaccinated or get COVID-19," Garcetti said Tuesday. "This urgent need means that if you're a city employee, we're now going to require you to either show that you're vaccinated or take a weekly test."
California State University, Northridge, in the San Fernando Valley, along with the rest of the cal state system plans to implement a vaccine mandate, requiring students, staff, and faculty to be vaccinated in order to be allowed on campus.
So far, about half of the City of Los Angeles Fire Department is fully vaccinated. While 57% have received at least one shot.
"We will continue to require our members to wear masks when interacting with the public as well as the proper personal protective equipment," added Capt. Scott.
In the meantime, the Los Angeles Police Department said nearly 52% of its staff have had at least one dose. And about 46% are fully vaccinated.
Both LAFD and the LAPD are waiting for a directive from the Mayor's office.
Meanwhile, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia Tuesday announced that all city employees will need to be able to show proof of vaccination or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
According to Garcia, 72% of city employees have already been vaccinated, and nearly the same percentage of Long Beach adults have been vaccinated.
The policy, similar to the state's policy, falls short of a vaccine "mandate," offering employees the option of undergoing regular COVID testing instead of providing proof of vaccination. However, Garcetti said he and Martinez are "committed to pursuing a full vaccine mandate."
"We're seeing an alarming spike in cases among our city workforce — 110 new cases in the past week alone," Garcetti said. "That's compared to 34 in the prior week."
"This policy is about the health of not just those that provide essential services to keep our city running, but protecting all Angelenos," he said.
The announcement came one day after City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas said he plans to introduce a motion Wednesday to require vaccinations for city employees.
Thomas announced the move in a statement Monday night.
This comes as L.A. County has seen an alarming spike in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations over the past few weeks.
County officials reported 891 people were being treated for the virus as of Tuesday. The county also reported 2,067 new COVID-19 cases and 15 additional deaths.