Vaccine Verification To Be Required For All State Workers
Sacramento, CA — California will start requiring all 246,000 state government employees to show proof they have received the COVID-19 vaccine starting next month, and if not, they will need to get tested at least weekly and wear a mask while on the job.
The move was announced by Governor Gavin Newsom, and the state’s Public Health Department, today. It comes as the COVID-19 variant continues to spread.
The state saw around 6,500 new COVID-19 cases, per day, over the weekend.
Newsom argued, “We’re at the point in the pandemic where an Individuals choice not to get vaccinated is now impacting us in a profound and devastating way.”
Adding, “It is a choice to live with this virus, but with all due respect, you don’t have the choice to go out and drink and drive and put everybody else’s lives at risk. That’s the equivalent, of this moment, with the deadliness and efficiency of the Delta variant.”
There remains vaccine hesitancy for some in the state, but Newsom argues that all three available are safe and effective.
He noted that many private healthcare providers will be partnering with the state and making similar moves to require vaccine verification for employees. He also encouraged other businesses to consider taking similar actions, arguing, “We want to keep our economy moving. No more Zoom schools.”
The new vaccine verification health order impacting state employees will take effect on August 9.
