Berkeley Mayor: Vaccinations Key To Ending Pandemic

BERKELEY, CA — Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín issued a statement Monday urging the public to get their vaccines.

Arreguín’s statement followed the East Bay city’s joint announcement with seven Bay Area counties of a new mask mandate amid a delta variant-fueled COVID-19 case surge.

The new order requires everyone to wear facial coverings indoors regardless of vaccination status.

The order went into effect at 12:01 a.m.

“Those refusing to get vaccinated are impeding a return to normalcy for us all. Some refuse on the basis of fear or misinformation, while others are making a misguided political statement,” Arreguín said.

“But everyone that refuses to get their shots does so at the expense of their own health, wellbeing, and the freedoms of their neighbors. They are prolonging this epidemic and its effects on our way of life.

“I implore the public to get vaccinated and urge businesses to begin requiring proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test to ensure that our community can be kept safe. We have the collective power to end this pandemic, and by taking the free, safe, and effective vaccine, we can all finally move forward.”