Gov. Gavin Newsom and California officials said on Monday they would require government workers to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or be tested weekly.
QUICK FACTS:
- California’s orders will apply to the approximately 238,000 state employees, but also to healthcare workers, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
- Employees must begin showing proof of vaccination.
- The order will take effect August 2.
- The unvaccinated must wear masks in the office and be tested for the virus weekly.
- All California healthcare workers in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities—including private facilities—must show proof of vaccination (or submit to testing twice a week) in addition to wearing a mask.
- Unvaccinated individuals in outpatient healthcare facilities, such as dental offices, will be required to test once a week and wear a surgical mask.
BACKGROUND:
- California public health officials said the move to mandate vaccination status is “geared toward encouraging individuals to get vaccinated,” notes WSJ.
- 43.5 million vaccine doses have been administered in California.
- Dozens of groups representing health care workers in the U.S.—such as the American Medical Association—are calling for mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for their industry amid the Delta variant spread.
- However, laboratory-based experiments at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicate that COVID vaccines may be less effective against current variants of the virus.
- Moreover, even vaccinated Olympic Athletes and coaches, for example, have been testing positive for COVID, American Faith reports.