A union representing San Francisco sheriff’s deputies warned that an impending COVID-19 vaccine mandate could lead to a significant portion of the force quitting.
The San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association said Friday in a social media post that if officers “are forced to vaccinate[,] a percentage of them will retire early or seek employment elsewhere.”
Their preferred policy would be for officials to get vaccinated or allow for those who don’t want it to get tested weekly, the group said.
All city employees in high-risk settings, including jails, are required to be vaccinated by Sept. 15, according to a mandate issued last month.
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“Speeds up and advances our timeline for getting staff vaccinated in some of our highest risk settings. In our skilled nursing facilities, our residential care facilities for the elderly, in our acute care hospitals, our jails, our shelters,” said Susan Philip, the acting San Francisco health officer.
A majority of deputy sheriffs are vaccinated, according to the San Francisco union, and approximately 160 out of 700 officers “prefer to mask and test weekly instead of being vaccinated due to religious and other beliefs.”
“We obviously encourage everyone to vaccinate and are consistent with the city’s plans,” said San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, according to a local Fox affiliate. The sheriff also said employees are welcome to express their opinions. “I do want to make sure that we continue on the path we’re on, which is to keep people educated as to what the processes are going to be for the city,” he added.
“This mandate is so strict, we have employees that are going to quit,” says head of @SanFranciscoDSA union for deputies, some of whom refuse to get vaccinated. @SheriffSF says he’s abiding by @sfgov mandate under which all city workers are to get shots. https://t.co/51F4RGTHub pic.twitter.com/PJ9Rqo07LF
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) August 7, 2021
The union said the city “cannot afford to lose any more deputy sheriffs or any first responders,” which it argued would “affect public safety even more.”
“There is also an undue and unacceptable health and safety risk that is imposed upon the city, our employees, and the public we serve by those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19,” the city’s Department of Human Resources said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “Vaccines are safe, effective, and readily available to our employees.”
Approximately 16% of sheriff’s deputies are not vaccinated as of Friday, according to city data obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle. The rate is about the same for the entire police force, 17% unvaccinated, and 9.5% of the fire department employees have not gotten a COVID-19 vaccine.
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All three groups have a higher unvaccinated rate than the average across all city departments, which is 7.7%.
More stringent vaccine requirements are becoming more common for corporations, schools, and government agencies.
Recently, President Joe Biden announced new rules for federal employees requiring them to sign forms attesting they are vaccinated or submit to a strict testing schedule.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last month that all state employees and healthcare workers will have to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or be tested at least weekly as infections due to a rise in COVID-19 cases that is tied to the more contagious delta variant.
