SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Guards, janitors, administrators and other California law enforcement personnel who don’t provide direct health care but may be exposed to the coronavirus are now required to get vaccinated under a new state health ordinance released this week.
The public health ordinance, enacted Thursday, builds on an earlier ordinance that requires an estimated 2.2 million health workers in California, whether private or public, to be fully vaccinated by the end of September. Employees cannot opt out by agreeing to weekly testing.
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The latest order, affecting prisons, prisons, and other detention centers, requires that anyone who provides inmates, prisoners, or detainees with health services be fully vaccinated by October 14th, may be exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted through the health service, “according to law enforcement officials , Maintenance staff and laundry staff.
It is unclear how many people are affected. Neither the California Department of Health nor the state’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation were able to provide details on Friday. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office did not respond to an email asking for more information.
The governor had previously announced vaccination requirements for government employees and school employees.
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Even union leaders groped in the dark. Glen Stailey, president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, said Friday through spokesman Nathan Ballard that the union “is waiting for the CDCR’s plan to implement the order and its impact on our members.”
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The union represents around 28,000 civil servants and is committed to combating any vaccination regulations.
More private employers and governments are demanding vaccination of employees amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, delaying plans for employees to return to the office and putting personal training at risk. The mandates provide exceptions for people who refuse for religious or qualifying medical reasons.
In California, Newsom announced that government officials and all teachers will need to show that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 but can instead get frequent tests. In San Francisco and Los Angeles, all city employees, including the police and fire departments, must be vaccinated without the option of testing.
Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area announced last week that first responders will need to check that they are fully vaccinated or test for the virus weekly.
In southern California, Orange County has made a “strong recommendation” for paramedics, paramedics, and general practitioners to be fully vaccinated or have a coronavirus test twice a week by the end of September, said Dr. Clayton Chau, county health officer.
“This is a strong recommendation, not a mandate,” said Chau. “We believe these fellows of ours are really touching high-risk citizens who are Orange County residents.”
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Also on Friday, San Francisco became the first major US city to require proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 for people who dine in restaurants, exercise in gyms, or attend indoor concerts.
