Vaccine mandate for 18,000 Boston workers rolls out Monday

Roughly 18,000 city workers will have to submit proof of full vaccination against coronavirus or start weekly testing starting Monday, according to a new city policy.

“Our purpose is to protect our employees and the public, and our work is rooted in public health guidance and based on data and science,” Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey said in a statement.

The vaccine mandate will be rolled out in three phases with employees who serve “high priority residents” including public school students, and work in city services like day care, the library and the Council on Aging must comply starting Monday.

Public-facing on-site city contractors and volunteers including public safety, parks and parking must comply by Oct. 4.

All other city employees, onsite contractors and volunteers must be in compliance by Oct. 18.

Any employee who cannot verify they are fully vaccinated will be required to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test result every seven days.

The city has been ramping up coronavirus measures since last month after spread of the more infectious and more deadly delta variant became evident in Boston.

The city reimposed an indoor mask mandate for all public buildings on Aug. 27 — a major step in a city where coronavirus cases had been on the decline.

Officials from the teachers union — who agreed to the vaccine mandate for workers earlier this month — said the Boston model could serve a blueprint for other communities grappling with Gov. Charlie Baker’s reluctance to impose a statewide vaccine mandate.

The Republican governor last month announced 42,000 state workers would be required to vax up by Oct. 17 or face discipline that could involve “termination.” But he has repeatedly sidestepped a more sweeping mandate that would include teachers and workers for individual cities and towns despite a direct appeal earlier this month from President Biden.

The mandate for state workers is stricter because it does not provide a blanket secondary option for weekly testing for workers who simply choose to remain unvaccinated.

Baker has said several times that he supports vaccine mandates at the city level. In an Aug. 19 executive order, the governor indicated he “encourages” municipalities to impose mandates of their own.