Arlington Public Schools: Arlington County Government And Arlington Public Schools Implement COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate For All Employees

Press release from Arlington Public Schools:

August 12, 2021 at 2:00 pm.

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY
Arlington County and APS have offered vaccines to all employees and continue to follow Virginia Department of Health guidance regarding vaccination. APS is committed to ensuring that Arlington schools open safely and remain open for student learning; and Arlington County has an obligation to ensure continuity of government and government services. This includes providing critical services for the social, emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing of the community. Reductions in critical government and educational services can have dramatic impacts on the health and wellbeing of our community.

“Our priority is to protect the health and well-being of our students and staff as we open schools on August 30. We are taking a layered approach to protect our community and to ensure our schools remain open and safe for student learning,” stated APS Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán. “Mandatory staff vaccinations and our universal mask requirement are two of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and are vital ways we are working to keep our schools open and safe for all.”

REQUIRED TESTING for UNVACCINATED EMPLOYEES
Unvaccinated individuals are at a greater risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19 within the workplace and to the public that depends on vital County services. County and APS employees will be required to submit vaccine documentation to their respective agencies.

All unvaccinated employees will be required to be tested at least weekly for COVID-19 to limit the potential spread in the workforce and in the community. Testing will be provided at no cost to the employee.

Arlington’s overall vaccination rate for those 12 and older is 71.5%. Arlington encourages eligible residents to access no-cost, no-appointment vaccination and testing opportunities. More information is available at arlingtonva.us/COVID-19.

This press release was produced by Arlington Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.