Rehoboth Beach institutes 'vaccinate or test' policy for employees

Beginning January 3, the City of Rehoboth Beach will require that all employees either provide documentation that shows that they are fully vaccinated against the covid-19 virus or obtain weekly covid tests.

In announcing the new policy today, City Manager Sharon Lynn, said that her decision was made “considering this unrelenting pandemic, the ongoing seasonal surge, and the acute health risks that this situation poses to employees.”

The city is defining a fully vaccinated employee as someone who has received two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as well as a booster, if eligible. Employees who choose not to get vaccinated will be required to provide weekly negative covid test results in order to report to work each week.

The city will host an Aspira vaccination clinic from 4-8 pm Wednesday, January 5, in the convention center. This clinic will be open to the public.

In addition, city employees will continue to be required to wear masks or shut their office doors while in city facilities.

“As with every covid-related decision that I have made over the last 22 months,” says Lynn, “my absolute first and foremost responsibility is to provide a safe and healthy working environment to all employees and to the community we serve. Given the recent and rapid emergence of the Omicron variant, we have seen an increase in the number of employees who have tested positive for covid, and we want to reduce the risk as much as possible.”

###