Deadline arrives for LA County employees to be fully vaccinated

The deadline has arrived for thousands of Los Angeles County employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 under the county board of supervisors’ vaccination directive, with exemptions for medical or religious reasons.

Employees must provide proof of being fully vaccinated or exemption by uploading their vaccine certification and other information to a specialized online database.

Those seeking exemptions are required to fill out a medical or religious accommodation form and those who are unvaccinated will be required to undergo a COVID-19 test at least once a week. 

The order issued in early August affects more than 110,000 LA County employees, including those who work for the sheriff’s department and LA County Fire.

RELATED: Los Angeles County issues executive order mandating county workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19

Many first responders have not been vaccinated and are refusing the order. Vaccination numbers among police and fire agencies are almost all lower than the general population. Even though according to a study by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund, COVID-related fatalities were the single-highest cause of officer line-of-duty deaths in 2020, and they continue this year.

RELATED: LAFD Captain calls vaccine mandate 'tyranny,' prompting internal investigation

Another vaccine mandate deadline is looming.

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All Los Angeles Unified School District employees must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15, unless they have an approved religious or medical exemption.

RELATED: LAUSD mandates COVID-19 vaccine for all teachers, staff by Oct. 15

Meanwhile, in the city of Hermosa Beach, employees must be vaccinated by November 12, or they will no longer be allowed to work for the city unless they have a medical or religious exemption.

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