Health

Boston Mayor Wu extends COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadline for city workers

By Julianne Lima, Boston 25 News

Dozens of firefighters holding signs outside Mayor Wu’s press conference at Boston City Hall

By Julianne Lima, Boston 25 News

BOSTON — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu spoke Monday morning after extending her city worker vaccine mandate for a second time Sunday. The mayor’s press conference happened at 10 a.m. Monday at Boston City Hall.

On Sunday, Wu announced city employees will have an additional week to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before they face potential disciplinary action. They now have until Jan. 30 to show proof of at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

At Boston City Hall, there were dozens of protesters holding “Mayor Wu Anti-Labor,” “Mayor Wu Burns Firefighters,” and “Mayor Wu Policy I Do Not Honor Signed Agreements” signs.

Wu announced the mandate back in December. The deadline for vaccination proof was initially set for Jan. 15, but Wu then pushed that date back to Monday before extending it again Sunday. Wu said as of 2 p.m. Sunday, 18,265 employees comply with the policy.

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“The City will continue communicating with our employees and supporting access to vaccinations before Jan. 30, 2022, as we work to achieve our goal of vaccinating the entire City workforce,” said Wu.

Not everyone supports the mandate. Some unions, including the union representing Boston firefighters, slammed the mayor for going back on their initial agreement of a vaccinate or test-and-stay policy.

“It’s unfair that the people who served the citizens of Boston day in and day out, and right now as we speak, are going to be put out on the street, terminated, fired because of their strongly held beliefs,” said Edward Kelly, the general president of Boston Fire Fighters Local 718. “That’s wrong.”

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