Community transmission of COVID-19 continues to threaten the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and employees of Hennepin County, particularly people who are unvaccinated or who have underlying health conditions that place them at higher risk for complications. Case rates are again increasing in our community, and the Delta variant has become the predominant variant in circulation and is more transmissible than previous variants of COVID-19. As of August 12, 2021, Hennepin County has been rated as an area of “high” transmission by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with a rate of 122 new cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days. COVID-19 related hospitalization rates are also increasing, with approximately 2% of staffed ICU beds available in the metro region, and approximately 1% of non-staffed beds available, based on data from the State of Minnesota.

The CDC currently recommends a COVID-19 vaccination for everyone ages 12 and older – even for people who have already had COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and widely available. Vaccines help to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. The current overall vaccination rate in Hennepin County (all ages) is just over 62%, meaning that nearly 40% of county residents are unvaccinated. Increasing the rate of vaccination in our community is critical to reducing the spread of disease (including the Delta variant) and ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional outbreaks will further burden our healthcare system and its capacity to provide medical care, including hospitalization, for those suffering from not only COVID-19 but other medical conditions as well.

Every additional person vaccinated will help to slow the spread of COVID-19, and will protect the health of all in our community. Requiring County staff to either provide proof of vaccination, or to undergo regular mandatory testing, is job related and consistent with business necessity because COVID-19 presents a direct threat to the health of our staff and the clients we serve. These requirements will also prevent staff absenteeism due to illness or the need to quarantine after exposure, support the County’s ability to timely and effectively deliver needed services, and reduce the potential burden to our healthcare system. Requiring vaccination or regular mandatory testing will further foster trust with our clients and our community, to show that they can feel comfortable receiving services at the County, and that their health and safety are a County priority.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently suggested that employers consider adopting policies that require workers either to get vaccinated or to undergo regular COVID-19 testing. Many entities have recently imposed a requirement for proof of vaccination from employees, including the United States Government, the State of Minnesota, and Hennepin Healthcare Systems, Inc., among others. Several other employers are allowing employees to submit to regular COVID-19 testing and other infection control measures, as an alternative to providing proof of vaccination. Through this action, Hennepin County would impose a similar requirement for vaccination or regular mandatory testing (along with any other recommended infection control measures) on all county officials, employees, interns, and volunteers. At this time, it is expected that any staff who may be required to perform any of their duties either on-site at a county facility or in the community will be subject to the requirement for vaccination or testing. In addition, County Administration will determine which contractors will be subject to similar vaccination or testing requirements, based on the duties they perform either on-site or in the community.

Current Request: The current request seeks approval to require county officials, employees, interns, and volunteers to attest to their vaccination status and show proof of vaccination by October 1, 2021. Any staff who do not attest to their vaccination status and provide proof of vaccination by the deadline will be subject to regular mandatory COVID-19 testing and any other alternative infection control measures that the County deems necessary. The current request also seeks delegation to the County Administrator to administer, implement, and enforce the vaccination and testing requirements, including any necessary exemptions, accommodations, or modifications, and to extend the requirements to the County’s on-site and community contractors as appropriate.