LYNCHBURG, Va. – As COVID-19 cases climb, many universities and colleges, as well as individual companies and workplaces, have put in vaccine requirements.
Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday that most state employees will be required to be vaccinated by Sept. 1. President Joe Biden has also announced a mandate for federal employees.
Many localities in the area will not mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees, including Lynchburg. Richmond was the first locality in the Commonwealth to do so.
“We’re going to maintain our current posture. We think it’s served us well,” Lynchburg City Manager Wynter Benda says. “As we start to hear different things, we’ll pivot if we need to.”
Benda says employees are required to show proof of vaccination. Anyone who hasn’t had a shot must wear a mask.