Unvaccinated city employees in Philadelphia will have to wear two masks, a cloth mask over a surgical mask, starting Sept. 1.
“We are committed to keeping our employees safe from severe COVID infection and death,” Mayor Jim Kenney tweeted this week, announcing the new city ordinance.
All city employees will also have to provide proof that they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to a press release from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, which details the new policies.
“All City employees will be required to provide proof that they’ve completed their schedule of COVID-19 vaccinations, new employees hired must be fully vaccinated a condition of their employment, and employees who are not fully vaccinated by September 1 will be required to wear two masks (a cloth mask over a disposable or surgical mask) at all times while working on-site,” the press release read.
The statement also boasts of the effectiveness of vaccines.
WHITE HOUSE DENIES ‘WAR’ ON DESANTIS AMID COVID CLASH
“Being vaccinated against COVID-19 results in an eight-fold reduction of risk if you’re fully vaccinated compared to when you are not. If you’re fully vaccinated, you have a 25-fold reduction of your risk of being hospitalized or dying from COVID. The COVID vaccines protect people very well and are the best way to avoid a severe enough infection that could end up in hospitalization,” the press release read.
We are committed to keeping our employees safe from severe COVID infection and death.
Today, we announced beginning Sept. 1, all @PhiladelphiaGov employees must be fully vaccinated or they will be required to double-mask when working in enclosed spaces. https://t.co/58rvrEUHlf pic.twitter.com/K6drBnRPAf
— Jim #VaxUpPhilly Kenney (@PhillyMayor) August 11, 2021
On Friday, the Philadelphia government announced that it would be requiring all Philadelphia healthcare workers and all college and university students, staff, and faculty to be vaccinated by Oct. 15.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Healthcare workers have been Philadelphia heroes throughout the pandemic, and it’s important that we protect them from hospitalization and death. Given that many healthcare workers, including those in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, work with our most vulnerable loved ones, they need all the protection they can get. By protecting them, we protect our most vulnerable as well,” read the announcement.
“Many healthcare settings, colleges, and universities have already begun instituting vaccine mandates, and we applaud them all. The Board’s Regulation will ensure that our heroes, our most vulnerable, and our future are protected,” it read.
