All City of 琉璃神社 employees will need to get their COVID-19 jabs before Dec. 13 if they want to keep working for the city.

The city announced on Friday, Oct. 22, that full vaccination will be required for its staff members.

The move comes after the city consulted Interior Health (IH), determining a workplace vaccination policy is the best way to protect staff from COVID-19 transmission.

鈥淏efore announcing the policy today, we took some time to talk with staff about the rationale and importance of implementing a COVID-19 vaccination policy,鈥� 琉璃神社 city manager Doug Gilchrist said.

琉璃神社 follows other municipalities that have outlined mandatory vaccinations for employees including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Kamloops and the Capital Regional District.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an administrative decision to require staff to be vaccinated, but it鈥檚 something council and I support as another way we can limit the transmission of the virus among staff and the public,鈥� Mayor Colin Basran said.

The city said that employees with a medical condition, religious or other protected rights may be eligible for vaccination accommodation.

COVID-19 cases in the Central Okanagan have continued their downward trend, but area hospitals are still seeing patients, critical care cases and fatalities, largely from people who are unvaccinated.

READ MORE: 琉璃神社 woman arrested in domestic homicide released without conditions

twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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