City of Winnipeg looks at testing unvaxxed front-line staff
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/10/2021 (1450 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Winnipeg’s mayor expects all front-line city staff who don’t obey the municipal requirement to get vaccinated against COVID-19 would be able to submit to frequent testing for the virus instead.
While the city has noted it’s “exploring” testing as an alternative for those who don’t get their shots in time for the Nov. 15 deadline, it did not previously guarantee the option would be available as an alternative to staff who aren’t immunized.
On Wednesday, Mayor Brian Bowman told media the intent of the expected testing regime would be to ensure it’s available to councillors and staff who aren’t vaccinated.
“The intent is to largely have a similar program to what the province has,” said Bowman.
The testing option could alleviate concerns that a potential shortage of staff could affect city service levels, if a significant number of employees are put on leave due to their vaccination status.
However, the mayor repeatedly urged all council members, city staff and Winnipeggers to get vaccinated to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and help ensure businesses can operate at pre-pandemic levels.
“If you care about service disruption, go get the vaccine. If you care about your own health, go get the vaccine. If you care about your community and the businesses that want to get back to business, go get the vaccine,” said Bowman.
He said the city is working out the details of its testing plan with the provincial government.
The city is collecting information on how many of its front-line staff have been vaccinated.
The city’s vaccine requirement will affect several groups of employees, including those in public safety, community protection, recreation, public transportation and public-facing customer service roles.
On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Police Service revealed 92 per cent of its officers and civilian staff had declared they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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