Woburn To Mandate Vaccines Or Regular Tests For City Employees

WOBURN, MA — Woburn will mandate vaccines or regular testing for city employees Sept. 6, Mayor Scott Galvin said Friday.

All city employees who interact with the public or with co-workers will be required to either show proof of vaccination or get regularly tested, Galvin said.

"Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have prioritized the safety and well-being of City employees and the residents we serve," Galvin said. "Your cooperation and support of these efforts have been vital to our success. Thank you. Unfortunately, notwithstanding our efforts, numbers in the City and across the state are trending upwards. At this time, our best tool to prevent the spread of the virus is the COVID-19 vaccine."

Those employees who do not show proof of vaccination will need to get tested for the coronavirus weekly, the mayor said. There will be "reasonable accommodation" for employees who cannot or get vaccinated for medical or religious reasons.

Not all details are currently available; the full policy will be available Wednesday.

The policy will be enforced with discipline measures including firing, the mayor said.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.