Not enough City of Edmonton employees fully vaccinated: Iveson

EDMONTON -

Only 72 per cent of City of Edmonton employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, a number Mayor Don Iveson calls “concerning.”

That number comes from data collected by the City of Edmonton in a disclosure survey sent to employees. Survey results were released to unions and the public on Thursday. Of the more than 12,200 city employees, only 86 per cent responded to the anonymous disclosure request.

According to the city, 72 per cent, or nearly 8,900 employees, indicated they were fully vaccinated. Four per cent of employees said they were partially vaccinated and nine per cent, or 1,150 employees, reported being unvaccinated. 

During a media availability on Thursday, Iveson said that number is concerning to him.

“If many of the folks who haven’t disclosed have it or more folks get it right away, then we’d be at the general level of the population,” he said. “It would need to be a lot higher for the city to have confidence that we are achieving a shared ring of immunity within our workplaces.”

The City of Edmonton sent a vaccination status disclosure survey sent to employees and released the results to to unions and the public on Sept. 16, 2021. Of the more than 12,200 city employees, only 86 per cent responded to the anonymous disclosure request. (Source: City of Edmonton)

The latest data shows 71.5 per cent of eligible Albertans aged 12 and up are fully vaccinated. A total of 79.6 per cent are partially immunized. 

According to city administration, disclosures of vaccine data in the survey will be used to determine if additional public health safety measures are needed to protect employees and those attending city operated facilities.

“The health and safety of employees and Edmontonians remain a top priority,” the city said in a statement. “As one of Alberta’s largest employers, the City of Edmonton has a duty to support provincial efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and bring an end to the pandemic.”

The City of Toronto and the federal government have already implemented vaccine mandates for their employees.

The city is expected to release further information to employees and the public next week.