BALTIMORE, MD (Tuesday, August 31, 2021) — Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced a new vaccination policy for City workers, which will go into effect on Monday, October 18, 2021. All employees who are not fully vaccinated will be required to produce a weekly negative test result in order to report to work. 

“Protecting the health of our workforce, residents, and their loved ones is my top priority. As we continue to navigate this pandemic — all while working to restore critical in-person access and assistance for Baltimoreans — the steps we take today to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant could not be more important,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “I thank our City employees for continuing to provide high quality service during these unprecedented times, and look forward to working hand-in-hand with our Health Department to work towards vaccinating everyone who is not currently vaccinated.”

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent transmission of COVID-19 and limit hospitalizations and deaths. According to the new policy, all employees will be required to report their vaccination status to the City. Those who are not fully vaccinated will be required to submit to weekly testing. 

As such, the City of Baltimore will organize pop-up testing clinics for employees, which will be free of charge and conveniently located to worksites across the city. 

The new policy applies to all City of Baltimore employees, including probationary, contractual, seasonal, part-time, and temporary employees, as well as sworn personnel employed by the Fire and the Police Departments.

Additionally, the City will continue to hold vaccination clinics for employees and their households, with 10 dates planned for this fall. Two employee-focused vaccination clinics were held in the month of August, helping vaccinate more than 100 people. 

The vaccine mandate will ensure that city employees are protected against COVID-19, as in Maryland, between January and August 2021, 94.4 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 95 percent of deaths were of unvaccinated individuals.

This new vaccination policy also comes as Baltimore begins to restore some in-person services that were modified or suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a reminder, masks are required inside all City buildings. Find the current status of City services online at baltimorecity.gov/servicestatus.