Harrisburg’s MLK City Government Center
Harrisburg is taking a shot at decreasing the spread of the coronavirus in the city.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse signed an executive order on Tuesday that requires all city employees to get the COVID-19 vaccination.
“It’s crucial that all city staff become vaccinated for COVID-19,” Papenfuse said in a statement. “We need to do whatever is possible to curb the spread of the virus, and the vaccine is the best protection against this disease.”
According to the order, employees must receive and show proof of receiving the vaccine as quickly as they can, in accordance with their phase as designated by the state. Phases are determined by age, profession and pre-existing conditions.
“Widespread infection of COVID-19 amongst management and non-management municipal employees will curtail and cripple the city’s ability to effectively respond to threats of public safety and public health and to provide city services to the residents of the city of Harrisburg,” a section of the order reads.
In the order, the mayor stated that the vaccine is safe and the best way to protect people from the spread of the coronavirus, as stated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the state is currently in the first phase of the vaccine rollout, which includes long-term care facility residents and health care personnel. The city’s first responders, such as members of the police and fire bureaus, will get their vaccines in the next phase. Other employees will likely fall under the last two phases.
For more information, visit Harrisburg’s website.
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