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       All county and public school employees in Arlington County will be required to get the coronavirus vaccine or undergo weekly testing, local officials said Thursday, making it the first local jurisdiction in Northern Virginia to implement such a mandate.

       “Arlington County is requiring vaccinations for its employees because it’s the best way to keep people safe, especially as the region sees an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases,” County Manager Mark Schwartz said in a statement.

       “Our top priority continues to be the health and well-being of our employees, residents and community. When anyone visits a County Government facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19.”

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       Officials in the nearby city of Alexandria and Fairfax County have said they were considering such a mandate but have not implemented it yet.

       Northam mandates masks inside all K-12 schools in Virginia this fall, even for the vaccinated

       Arlington, like most jurisdictions in the region, is seeing a “substantial” level of community spread of the virus, in part driven by the highly contagious delta variant.

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       APS Superintendent Francisco Durán said in a statement that “mandatory staff vaccinations and our universal mask requirement are two of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and are vital ways we are working to keep our schools open and safe for all.”

       County and public school employees will be required to submit vaccine documentation, according to a news release. Unvaccinated employees will be required to undergo free testing at least every week. The order goes into effect Aug.？30.

       Antonio Olivo contributed to this report.

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