PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city employees appears to have been a success. The city reported Tuesday nearly 100% of the workforce has complied with the mandate.
Out of more than 22,000 workers, the city said only 68 employees have not complied and will be fired as a result. Officials do not expect an impact on core city services because there are few terminations.
The high compliance rate does not mean that all city employees have been vaccinated. Many were granted religious or medical exemptions. That group of employees is required to follow additional safety measures like routine testing.
The city announced the mandate last November, but it was postponed several times by requests for arbitration. It finally took effect on June 30.