San Jose Mayor Proposes Mandatory Booster Shot for City Employees

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo (D) this week proposed mandating city employees get a booster shot for the Chinese coronavirus, which would make it the first city in California to have such a mandate.

“To avoid crippling levels of hospitalizations and tragic outcomes, we have the great benefit of widespread access to booster shots, but we lack the benefit of time,” Liccardo said in a statement, calling for “decisive action to protect our workforce and our community.”

“And a booster mandate will help,” he declared.

The Democrat mayor’s proposal would require all San Jose city employees, as well as “residents or visitors that enter city-owned facilities,” to receive a booster shot “as a condition of employment.”

“If the proposal passes the City Council vote, San Jose could become the first city in California with such a mandate. Currently, San Jose requires proof of full vaccination to all city-owned facilities,” the city’s press release reads:

Mayor Liccardo, in his proposal, directed the City Manager to work with the City’s bargaining units in anticipation of establishing a January implementation of a booster requirement for all City employees as a condition of employment.

He also proposed a booster requirement for all visitors to City-owned indoor facilities, such as the SAP Center, Convention Center, and historic theaters, in January. The following exceptions would be allowed: individuals who received their second dose of the vaccination within the last 6 months, and minors who are currently ineligible.

Mayor Liccardo also proposed considering the purchase of any software or equipment that would facilitate more rapid and less labor-intensive verification of vaccinations. Current rules applicable to religious exemptions and sanctions for noncompliance would remain in effect.

The Rules Committee will hear the proposal on January 5.

Liccardo’s proposal follows cautions from critics, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has warned that mandates will likely not stop with the basic vaccine series.

“If these mandates are allowed, what they would do is they would change what fully vaccinated means,” he predicted.

“So right now normal series is two doses that will certainly, I said in the future, change to where if you don’t get the booster then you could be subject to these mandates and have penalties,” he noted.