Richmond city staff who aren’t fully vaccinated for COVID-19 – or don’t have a medical exemption - by Dec. 20 will be put on unpaid leave.
This mandate also extends to members of Richmond city council who all say they are fully vaccinated.
City council made this decision Monday in order to protect the “health and safety of our entire community,” said Richmond Mayor Malcom Brodie in a press release.
City staff and councillors will have to show proof of vaccination or their medical exemption and, if they don’t, they’ll be on leave until their vaccination status changes.
In its press release, the city stated “personal preference is not a legitimate rationale for non-vaccination.”
The percentage of Richmondites aged 12 and older who’ve received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine ranges from 89 per cent in Steveston, City Centre and the East/West Cambie-Bridgeport area to 83 per cent in Blundell and Broadmoor.
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), there were 33 new COVID-19 cases in Richmond from Oct 10 to 16. This number has been dropping over the past few weeks, going from 56 to 41 in the two prior weeks.
The City of Vancouver is requiring all its employees to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 6.
