Proclamation Of Emergency Order No. 22-Ll Pertaining To Covid-19 Vaccinations And Testing At All Onondaga County Schools
WHEREAS, on March 14, 2020, I, J. Ryan McMahon, II, Onondaga County Executive, by the authority vested in me by the Onondaga County Charter, the Onondaga County Administrative Code, and the laws of the State of New York, declared, pursuant to Section 24 of Article 2-B of the New York State Executive Law, that the public safety was sufficiently imperiled such that a Proclamation of Emergency was declared within the territorial limits of Onondaga County, which Proclamation of Emergency has been extended; and
WHEREAS, cases of COVID-19 continue to cause a significant public health concern in Onondaga County; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to issue this Order to minimize spread, especially in school environments, where a significant percentage of children are not yet eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; and
WHEREAS, it is the goal of Onondaga County to help keep schools open for safe in-person full-time learning; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with authority vested in me by the Onondaga County Charter and Code, local home rule powers, and New York State Executive Law Section 24, I hereby issue this Local Emergency Order No. 22 and mandate that all school staff and ancillary school staff (including, but not limited to: aides, custodians, food service personnel, bus drivers, grounds keepers, etc.) must be vaccinated for COVID-19, or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. Weekly testing will be necessary until 14 days after receiving an individual’s final COVID-19 vaccine dose. All testing must be performed by a duly authorized medical professional, a pharmacy authorized to perform COVID -19 testing or other entity(s) authorized by New York State to provide COVID-19 testing.
As the law requires a Local Emergency Order shall not exceed 5 days, this Order shall remain in effect for 5 days through February 28, 2022, and will be formally renewed by the issuance of successive 5-day Orders. This order is necessary to safeguard the public health and welfare, and necessary to assist in the disaster effort.
This Order is int.ended to comply with all laws and regulations, state and federal, and shall be read and interpreted in such manner.