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Richmond Requiring Vaccines for City Employees

City of Richmond Facebook

Mayor Levar Stoney announced that city employees will need to begin their vaccination course by August 18th, in a news conference Wednesday.

City of Richmond employees will have until August 18th to get their first dose or submit proof of vaccination. Most of the city’s 3,600 employees will need to be vaccinated by October 1st or face discipline subject to the city’s human resource department.

The announcement comes as the Delta variant poses a deadly threat to unvaccinated individuals and increases pressure on the healthcare system.

Wednesday the Virginia Department of Health announced an increase in COVID-19 outbreaks in childcare facilities and summer camps.

“This is not a sprint. We've already proven that. This is a full out marathon, that we're all participating in,” Stoney said. “To get over the finish line, we need everyone who can't be vaccinated to roll up their sleeve.”

Danny Avula, the Director of the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Departments, joined Stoney for the announcement.

“It's bold decisions like the mayor and the team have made to require vaccination... to encourage people to move in that direction. I expect that that trend will continue through other institutions,” Avula said.

City employees can get medical exemptions signed by a doctor or religious exemptions that are notarized. The deadline to apply for an exemption is also August 18th.

Stoney said that anecdotal evidence indicates 40 to 50% of city employees are already vaccinated. Roughly 500 or so constitutional employees, such as the sheriff, Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and the Courts, are not under the mandate, and neither are Richmond Public Schools or Richmond Ambulance Authority.

The positivity rate in Richmond has gone from about 1% to 6.2% in the last month. Almost all the hospitalizations in the area are occuring in unvaccinated individuals.

Jahd Khalil is a reporter and producer in Richmond.
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