Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, whose city is developing a policy that will require all municipal employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, is calling on all other cities and the county to follow suit.
In a statement issued late Thursday, Gordo said such policies are essential for maintaining the health of municipal workers and members of the public who interact with them.
“I am urging the county of Los Angeles and all 88 cities within L.A. County — and those beyond — to join Pasadena in implementing a similar policy for their respective jurisdictions,” Gordo said. “Local government functions as an employer, and we have a responsibility to ensure a safe work environment for all employees.
“We hope our example will encourage private employers to adopt similar policies. Vaccination is the one tool we know works. Let’s join together in this effort.”
According to the mayor’s office, residents “have no choice but to rely” on city services such as policing, fire protection and code enforcement, and thus, “ensuring service provision in a manner that protects public health, safety and wellbeing is of utmost importance.”
The Pasadena policy, which has not yet been formally enacted, will require all 2,000 of the city’s employees to be vaccinated once one of the vaccines receives full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All vaccines currently being administered in the United States are being offered under an FDA “emergency use” authorization.
City spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said earlier this week about 60% of the city’s 2,000 employees have attested to being fully vaccinated so far.
The University of California system recently announced that it will require all students and staff to be vaccinated to return to in-person classes and activities, regardless of whether any vaccines receive full FDA approval. The California State University system plans to require vaccines when full approval is given to at least one vaccine. The city and county of San Francisco have announced a similar policy for employees.
