ST. LOUIS — More than 75% of St. Louis city employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a press release from the mayor's office Monday.
The press release from Mayor Tishaura Jones' office said the data was collected by the city's health department and included civil service employees, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis Fire Department.
According to the press release, 76.4% of civil service employees are vaccinated, 78% of the police department is vaccinated and 76% of the fire department is vaccinated.
In August, Mayor Tishaura Jones' office announced a requirement for city employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine or get regular testing. City employees fully vaccinated by the deadline of Oct. 15 were eligible for the city's employee vaccine incentive program, which offers $100 in gift cards.
When the requirement was announced in August, the city said there were nearly 6,000 civil service employees who fall into the requirement.
"St. Louis joins major cities and as well as national and local employers, including Chicago, Los Angeles County, New York, Tyson, United Airlines, and the Enterprise Center, in requiring vaccination," the press release said.
According to the Missouri vaccine dashboard, 49% of people in the city of St. Louis had been fully vaccinated as of Nov. 1. About 56% of people in the city had received at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Those numbers match the statewide averages, but the national averages are 66.8% with at least one dose and 58% fully vaccinated.
