COVID-19 Vaccinations Required For All Arlington County Workers

ARLINGTON, VA — Effective Aug. 30, all Arlington County Government employees, including those working for Arlington Public Schools, will be required to be vaccinated for the COVID-19, according to a release.

This is a joint decision by the two halves of the county's government to stem the spread of the disease as the number of cases around the country among unvaccinated people continue to rise due to the Delta variant.

On Thursday, Virginia Department of Health reported 2,361 new cases of COVID-19 on across the state, which is the most new cases reported in a single day since Feb. 16.

In the Arlington Health District, the number of new cases started to rise in mid-July, with 41 reported on Thursday.

Officials from the CDC, along with VDH and the Arlington County Public Health Division, stated COVID-19 still posed a significant risk to individuals who haven't been fully vaccinated. This includes children under 12, who are currently not eligible to be vaccinated.

“Arlington County is requiring vaccinations for its employees because it’s the best way to keep people safe, especially as the region sees an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases,” said County Manager Mark Schwartz, in a release. “Our top priority continues to be the health and well-being of our employees, residents and community. When anyone visits a County Government facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19.”

The vaccination mandate applies to all county employees, including interns, volunteers, substitutes, and contractors.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued an emergency order Thursday requiring universal masking for students, teachers and staff at all public and private schools.

APS announced at the end of July that it was mandating masks for its students when they returned to classrooms on Aug. 30 for the start of the 2021-22 academic year.

“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,” APS Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán said, in a release. “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.”

Both APS and the county government have been offering vaccination to employees and will continue to abide by Virginia Department of Health guidance regarding vaccinations.

Related:

Masks Required At All Virginia Schools: Northam