New vaccine policy for city employees about to get tougher

London, Ont. -

The ink is barely dry and London City Hall is already updating its new COVID-19 vaccination policy for municipal employees, consultants, and volunteers.

Deputy Mayor Josh Morgan says the changes will bring the administrative policy in line with the province’s decision to implement vaccine passports.

“We will be updating our policy based on those new regulations,” Morgan explained during the health unit’s briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The original COVID-19 vaccination policy released on Aug. 27 gave employees three choices:

• be double vaccinated for COVID-19

• provide proof of a medical or human rights exemption and undergo routine COVID testing

• the remaining unvaccinated can take an educational course on COVID-19 vaccination and undergo routine testing.

The option to remain unvaccinated without a medical or human rights exemption faced criticism for weakening the policy.

Morgan says the city manager will present an updated policy that’s in line with vaccine passport rules at the next meeting of council.

“It would feel very awkward to have members of the public held to a higher standard when entering a (municipal) recreation facility than those working at the recreation facility,” Morgan explained. “Alignment of those standards is something the city manager is working on.”