Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas will file a motion to make covid vaccination mandatory – 19 for City of Los Angeles workers.
“In light of the recent increase in infections and hospitalizations, and in particular , of the most contagious Delta variant, I think it is time to expand our precautions against covid, “said Councilor Ridley-Thomas.
He noted that to 16 months after the pandemic with a wide availability of vaccines, only 2, 171, 413 Angelenos older than 16 years, representing the 66. 3% of the population on of the city, they have been inoculated.
“In Los Angeles County, the 46% of African Americans and 55% of Latinos have been vaccinated. This not only prevents the economic recovery of Los Angeles, but also continues to put countless people at risk. ”
He indicated that the city of Los Angeles Angeles should lead by example. “During Wednesday’s council meeting, I plan to present a motion that will direct staff to develop a policy for all municipal employees to be fully vaccinated against the covid virus – 19, and for them to report their vaccination status to the appropriate municipal department. ”
Ridley-Thomas said that “simply and simply, vaccines are the only way to get out of the pandemic, prevent transmission and limit deaths and hospitalizations due to covid.”
He indicated that if we want our children to be able to go to school without masks on and that the most vulnerable members of the community do not end up in the hospital, we must all do our part.
“This motion is a step in the right direction. It’s time to do it. ”
Ridley-Thomas’s announcement came shortly after California plans to require millions of workers from the health and state employees show proof of their covid vaccination or get tested every week. This in order to reduce the growing covid infections especially among the unvaccinated
The new rule will go into effect next month.
Last week, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, whose city is developing a policy to require all municipal employees to be vaccinated against covid, asked all other cities and the county to follow suit.
“I urge Los Angeles County and the 88 cities within Los Angeles County, and those beyond, to join Pasadena in implementing a similar policy for their respective jurisdictions, ”Gordo said. “The local government functions as an employer and we have a responsibility to ensure a safe work environment for all employees,” he said in a statement.
And he hopes, he said, that his example will encourage private employers to adopt similar policies. “Vaccination is the only tool that we know that works. Let’s join in this effort. ”
Countywide, Ron Galperin, City of Los Angeles Comptroller and Candidate A supervisor for District 3, he asked the Board of Supervisors to issue an order for all county workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
“For the county to better serve its residents, we must lead by example,” Galperin said. “It is irrefutable that unvaccinated individuals are contributing to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus.”
He added that local government should not only require others to take personal responsibility, but be responsible to the people they serve. “I urge the Board of Supervisors to immediately require all county employees to get vaccinated. Workers who are exempted for medical or religious reasons should be required to undergo regular coronavirus tests. ”
At the federal level, the Department of Human Rights Veterans (VA) is the only federal agency that has ordered that all health personnel receive the covid vaccine and gives them a period of 8 weeks to comply.
The legal defense organization Religious Liberty Counsel said in a statement that they will represent all employees who do not want to get vaccinated and are afraid of losing their jobs.
They pointed out that vaccines cannot be mandatory under the Emergency Use Authorization, and therefore, workers have the right to decline a drug that does not have a full license. “All Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and Astra Zeneca injections have received authorization for emergency use only, not from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Due to the rebound in cases, Los Angeles County reimposed the use of masks in indoor public spaces regardless of whether people are vaccinated or not.
In Los Angeles, the 26 July 1 were reported, 996 new infections and 4 deaths. Three of the deceased had more than 80 years and a person between 18 Y 29 years.
The county Department of Public Health reported that the spike in infections is due to the aggressive Delta variant, low vaccination rates in certain communities, and more people without masks, resulting in a doubling of hospitalizations in the county in just two weeks from 372 the 12 July to 745 the 26 of July .
Public health officials (CDPH) at the state level, reported 21, 940 confirmed cases between Friday and Sunday in California.
They indicated that cases have increased especially among unvaccinated populations, and p for the week from 7 to 14 July average among unvaccinated Californians is 13 by 100, 000 per day versus 2 per 100, 000 of the vaccinated.
Until 25 of July, the local health departments announced that they have presented 100, 650 of positive cases among health workers and 481 deaths across the state.