County of Simcoe takes hard stance on staff vaccine policy

Barrie, Ont. -

The County of Simcoe is taking a hard stance on its vaccine policy, making it mandatory for all staff to get a double dose or be placed on unpaid leave.

"We just feel very strongly that this was the right thing to do in order to make sure that we protected our staff and the vulnerable populations that we serve," said Jane Parr, County of Simcoe.

According to Parr, 90 per cent of county staff are fully vaccinated. She said she's pleased so many employees rolled up their sleeves before the County's Nov. 1 deadline.

For those who remain unvaccinated, "they would be placed on a leave, and they wouldn't be able to attend the workplace," Parr noted.

All 2,000 County staff are required to get their shots, whether they work in an ambulance, an office or on the side of the road.

"People did know about this since September, and then we asked people to identify their status as of October 1. So there's been a bit of time," Parr said.

Many other municipalities in the region vary on staff vaccine policies, including Barrie and Orillia, where unvaccinated employees must submit to regular COVID-19 testing at their expense.