San Jose City Council Unanimously Approves New Tougher COVID Booster Mandate
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- City Council members have unanimously approved one of the state's toughest health mandates requiring proof of a booster shot from San Jose municipal employees and anyone attending concerts, San Jose Sharks games or large indoor gatherings.
Mayor Sam Liccardo, who sponsored the proposal, thanked the council members for their late night vote as new cases of the omicron variant soar in Santa Clara County and across the San Francisco Bay Area.
"Thanks, Council colleagues for approving my proposal to require boosters for City workers+the public to access big events in city-owned buildings," Liccardo tweeted. "San José leads the US w/this measure to avoid high hospitalizations and tragic outcomes. Get vaxxed today."
In his proposal, Liccardo directed the city manager to work with the municipal employee union bargaining units in anticipation of establishing a January implementation for the booster requirement.
"We lack the benefit of time and we need to move quickly," said Liccardo at a Dec. 21 press conference.
The proposal strengthens the city's COVID-19 vaccination mandate for municipal employees by now including booster shots as a condition of employment.
It also will require visitors attending large, indoor gatherings of 50 people or more at the following city-owned facilities to show proof of a booster shot:
- City Hall
- City-owned libraries
- City-owned community centers
- SAP Center at San Jose
- Solar 4 America Ice at San Jose
- San Jose McEnery Convention Center
- California Theatre
- San Jose Civic
- Montgomery Theater
- Center for the Performing Arts
- Fourth Street Summit Center
- School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza
- San Jose History Park
- San Jose Museum of Art
- Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
- The Tech Interactive
The proposal also clarifies where the mandate would apply:
- San Jose Sharks games
- Concerts
- Conventions
- IMAX movies