SAN JOSE (KPIX) — More than 8,000 San Jose city employees returned to work Monday under one of the toughest COVID workplace mandates in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Municipal employees must now provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or get tested for the virus weekly to avoid being placed on unpaid leave.
READ MORE: Suspicious Device Closes Area Near San Francisco's Mission Dolores ParkThe policy, which allows for religious and medical exemptions when it comes to vaccinations, applies to police officers, firefighters, dispatchers, library and city hall workers and even the mayor.
Those who refuse and fail to comply and are placed on non-paid leave won’t be able to use vacation, comp or sick time, according to the policy.
“We need everyone in the community to get vaccinated and we’re going to start right here with our own team at the city,” said Mayor Sam Liccardo earlier this month when the policy was first proposed.
Liccardo has also found support from one of the largest unions in city hall.
“The majority of our union is supporting this,” said AFSCME union president Steven Solorio.
The city is also considering an even tougher mandate — making COVID vaccinations mandatory for all employees by Sept. 30. Medical and religious exemptions will be accepted.
Others may soon follow San Jose’s lead amid a steady rise of Delta variant cases in Santa Clara County and the San Francisco Bay Area.
READ MORE: California Recall: Larry Elder Campaign Hires New Campaign Manager With 3 Weeks To GoOn Monday, the Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, a milestone that could lift public confidence in the shots.
Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, California’s Public Health officer, said he hoped the approval will dramatically increase the number of state residents getting vaccinated.
“For weeks we have watched cases go up at an alarming pace among individuals who are not vaccinated while the vaccinated are largely protected, especially against severe and long-term illness,” he said. “We know the vaccines work. We know vaccines are safe. We know they save lives.”
More than 200 million Pfizer doses have been administered in the U.S. — and hundreds of millions more worldwide — since December. But up to now, they were dispensed in this country under what is known as emergency use authorization from the FDA.
“The public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in announcing full approval, which comes as the U.S. battles the most contagious coronavirus mutant yet, the delta variant.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement he hopes the decision “will help increase confidence in our vaccine, as vaccination remains the best tool we have to help protect lives.” The shot now will be known in the U.S. by the brand name Comirnaty.
U.S. vaccinations bottomed out in July at an average of about a half-million shots per day, down from a peak of 3.4 million a day in mid-April. As the delta variant fills hospital beds, shots are on the rise again, with a million a day given Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Just over half of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated with one of the country’s three options, from Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson.
MORE NEWS: Fourth Stimulus Check: Will Another Relief Payment Come This Year?Moderna has also applied to the FDA for full approval of its vaccine. J&J said it hopes to do so later this year
"choice" - Google News
August 23, 2021 at 11:00PM
https://ift.tt/3jaygsv
Tough COVID Choice Goes Into Effect For San Jose City Employees — Vaccinate Or Weekly Testing - CBS San Francisco
"choice" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2WiOHpU
https://ift.tt/3c9nRHD
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Tough COVID Choice Goes Into Effect For San Jose City Employees — Vaccinate Or Weekly Testing - CBS San Francisco"
Post a Comment