Chicago Vaccine Warrant: All City Workers Will Have to Be Shot Against COVID-19, According to Mayor Lori Lightfoot

CHICAGO (WLS) – Chicago will order all city workers to receive a vaccine against COVID-19, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday.

“City employees will be absolutely forced to get vaccinated,” Lightfoot said during a press conference Monday afternoon.

The announcement came hours after the FDA announced that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine had received full approval in the United States.

SEE ALSO | The Chicago COVID vaccine map shows the number of vaccinated residents by zip code

Lightfoot added that the city has been working with unions over the past few weeks to finalize plans. A formal announcement is expected this week.

“We absolutely must have a vaccine warrant,” Lightfoot added. “It’s for the safety of everyone involved, especially citizens who interact on a daily basis with city employees. It’s important that colleagues also feel they have a secure job.”

More companies and hospitals continue to move forward with vaccination mandates, with the number of COVID cases on the rise, especially with the more contagious delta variant. But there are already some unions that are digging in their heels.

“We don’t just want to shoot and play to death for the mayor,” said John Catanzara Jr., president of the Chicago Police Fraternal Order. “She won’t force us to lower our throats without a fight. And we’ll take her to court if necessary.”

Catanzara said the four police unions will meet with City Hall on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the mandate. The Fraternal Order of the Police said this was not part of the recently negotiated contract for the base.

“And we thought we understood that we were perfectly fine with the option for our members to decide for themselves without it being a mandate,” Catanzara added.

The Lightfoot office said the announcement would be made in the next few days, but would not provide any details of the plan or whether it would cover all or only a few city workers.