EUGENE, Ore. - Lane County will require as many employees and volunteers as possible to get a COVID-19 vaccination and reach fully vaccinated status by November 30, 2021, unless exempt under existing law.

Oregon state law prohibits employers from requiring certain personnel to be vaccinated, including law enforcement and parole officers.

Lane County Public Health Officer Dr. Patrick Luedtke said:

“Local, national, and international studies show that current SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccines are unequivocally: 1) safe for the vast majority of people; 2) the best tool we have as individuals to protect ourselves and our families against developing COVID-19, including serious infections that lead to hospitalization; and finally 3) the safest, most efficient, and most economical way to end the most disrupting aspects of this pandemic."

The county says "employees subject to this requirement who are not vaccinated by the deadline and who do not have an approved medical or religious exception will be subject to provisional layoff."

“As the public health authority for our community, one of the largest public service employers in the region and the organization leading efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 across our county for the past 18 months, we feel a deep sense of responsibility to walk our talk when it comes to science-backed methods to keep people safe from COVID-19,” said Lane County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky. “We respect the diversity of opinions on this issue, and our decision has come after much discussion, consideration and reflection.”

Lane County will be scheduling additional opportunities for employees to get the vaccine ahead of the deadline.