All city of Chicago workers must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15, though employees can apply for medical or religious exemption, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday.

       The move follows numerous private businesses and cities across the country which are implementing similar mandates, as has Cook County and Chicago Public Schools.

       “As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, we must take every step necessary and at our disposal to keep everyone in our city safe and healthy,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “Getting vaccinated has been proven to be the best way to achieve that and make it possible to recover from this devastating pandemic. And so, we have decided to join other municipalities and government agencies across the nation, including the U.S. military, who are making this decision to protect the people who are keeping our cities and country moving.”

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       Workers who wish to be exempt for medical or religious reasons must get approval from the Department of Human Resources which will consider the requests on a case by case basis, the city said.

       More than 30,000 people are employed by the city. But not all are happy about the mandate. The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police has said it will oppose vaccine mandates,

       Earlier this month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker required state employees who work in congregate settings, such as prisons and veterans’ homes, to be vaccinated by Oct. 4. The state’s largest employee’s union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, has encouraged vaccination but opposes a vaccine mandate.

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