ENCINITAS, Calif. (KGTV) — Encinitas officials announced Tuesday that it will require all city employees to submit proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test weekly.
Starting Aug. 23, the city said all workers will need to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative test due to the rise in COVID-19 cases caused largely by the delta variant.
The city added that once full FDA approval for the COVID-19 vaccine is made, more vaccinations will become mandatory within 45 days of approval. If cases continue to rise in the county, the city said it could require additional testing for unvaccinated employees.
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"The City of Encinitas is firmly committed to the health and safety of its employees and the public they serve," said Encinitas City Manager Pamela Antil. "Many City employees work with the public and have regular contact with persons who could be classified as vulnerable to COVID-19. It is our responsibility to do our part to keep our employees and our community as safe as possible."
Masks are currently required for all employees and visitors in city buildings, according to Encinitas officials, similar to policies in Carlsbad and Chula Vista.
Encinitas joins the City of San Diego in requiring city employees to provide proof of vaccination or weekly negative COVID-19 test results.
This week, San Diego County public health officials issued a recommendation for all businesses to require proof of vaccination or negative COVID tests.
Currently, the county has reported that 2,330,157 eligible San Diegans (83.1%) have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 2,040,609 eligible residents (72.8%) are fully vaccinated.
Public health officials have blamed the increase in cases on unvaccinated individuals. According to the county's data, unvaccinated individuals and those who are not fully vaccinated make up 92.3% of new COVID-19 cases over the last 30 days and 98.3% of hospitalizations over that same period.
