Orange County

95% of Orange County employees comply with COVID-19 vaccine mandate so far

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sunday or they’ll be written up.

They had to get their first shot by September. The latest figures show an overwhelming majority of employees have complied.

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Here’s a breakdown of the numbers:

  • 85% are now vaccinated
  • 90% of the county’s non-union employees got their shots
  • 78% of the county’s union employees did
  • About 10% were approved for religious or medical exemptions
  • That means 5% of the county’s staff refused the vaccine

READ: Coronavirus: Traces of the Mu variant have been found in this city’s wastewater

Because the mayor dropped his state of emergency this week, the union employees who refused the shot are getting somewhat of a pass.

“Pursuant to those labor agreements, they will no longer be required to do weekly testing,” Mayor Jerry Demings said.

READ: Puerto Rico boasts America’s highest COVID-19 vaccination rate

But they will still have to wear masks while inside county buildings for now.

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Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.