LA County Supervisor Signs Executive Order Requiring Vaccinations For All County Employees
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis signed an executive order Wednesday requiring all Los Angeles County employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
"Today, the County is reporting another 3,734 new cases, 1,242 hospitalizations, and tragically, 16 deaths," Solis said in a statement. "When the County marked its re-opening on June 15, there were only 210 confirmed cases, fewer than 220 were hospitalized with COVID-19, and the positivity rate sat at an incredibly low 0.6%. However, with the rapid spread of the Delta variant, our daily cases have increased nearly eighteen-fold and hospitalizations more than five-fold. As vaccinations continue at a pace slower than what is necessary to slow the spread, the need for immediate action is great."
The order requires all county employees, regardless of department, to be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021, with exemptions for medical and religious purposes.
"This timeline gives our employees the time they need to consult with their healthcare providers while moving expeditiously to protect the health and safety of our 110,000 workers," Solis said.
Los Angeles County reported its highest daily number of new COVID-19 infections since early February Wednesday.
According to state figures, there were 1,279 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county as of Wednesday, up from 1,242 on Tuesday. That includes 284 people in intensive care, up from 269 the previous day.
Of the county's 10.3 million residents, 60% have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 52% are fully vaccinated.
Roughly 1.3 million residents under age 12 remain ineligible for the vaccine.
