Fairfax County Public Schools: FCPS Adopts COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement For Staff

Press release from Fairfax County Public Schools:

August 20, 2021

By late October, all FCPS employees will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to routine negative COVID-19 tests, a move that reinforces existing layered prevention strategies and the division’s commitment to safety.
 

To keep our commitment to provide students with five days a week of in-person instruction this year. Vaccination is the most effective way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent severe illness. We must take every measure possible to keep our schools safe.

To give employees the peace of mind that comes with knowing their workplace is a safe place. Knowing coworkers are either vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19 provides confidence and comfort so we can focus on our mission- educating kids.

To reassure FCPS students and families they are learning in the safest environment possible. We can assure everyone who enters our building that our workforce is either vaccinated or is reporting to work with a negative COVID-19 test. 

To lead by example. FCPS continues to promote vaccination for everyone, including our students, as soon as they are eligible. Our goal is for every eligible employee to be vaccinated. The sooner our community reaches a high vaccination rate, the sooner we begin to put the pandemic behind us. 

There are many details to share. Employees should read every week’s Employee News and check the Employee Hub(link is external) regularly to stay informed. 

If you are not yet vaccinated but want to get vaccinated before the requirement goes into effect in October, you may find vaccination opportunities through the Fairfax County Health Department (link is external)or Vaccines.gov(link is external). COVID-19 vaccines are accessible and free.

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