Updated: 6:36 PM EDT Jul 27, 2021
The president of the Boston City Council has instituted a new COVID-19 protocol for staff members and interns in light of rising coronavirus cases.In a memo sent Tuesday, Council President Matt O'Malley wrote that he will require all Boston City Council staff and interns who work in-person to either show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing starting Aug. 30.As of July 20, the city of Boston is averaging 46.6 new positive COVID-19 cases per day. The city's positivity rate has also ticked up to 2.2%."The delta variant is causing cases to rise nationally for mostly unvaccinated and some vaccinated people as it is more transmissible," O'Malley said in the memo. "We must make every effort to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and keep each other safe and protected in our workplace. I hope that these guidelines encourage other employers in the city of Boston to implement a similar policy."Local universities, private companies and municipalities, including New York City, have implemented a similar policy. The state of California has also enacted a similar policy, as well as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for its healthcare workers.More than 60% of Boston's total population is fully vaccinated, according to O'Malley.O'Malley noted that he has recommended Boston City Council staff to gradually return to work at City Hall through a staggered model since Gov. Charlie Baker lifted Massachusetts' COVID-19 State of Emergency on June 15, and has also asked for offices to recognize any extenuating circumstances. Those in-person staff members have been required to wear face coverings while at City Hall and maintain proper physical distancing.In his memo, O'Malley recommended that City Council offices continue to stagger their schedules during the summer session.O'Malley has served as president pro tempore of the Boston City Council since former Council President Kim Janey was sworn in as the city's acting mayor on March 24.Massachusetts COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and fatalitiesMassachusetts vaccination progress