Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said he is ready to order coronavirus testing for employees if the transit agency’s vaccination rate doesn’t reach the 70% level.
In an internal letter obtained by WTOP, Wiedefeld said only 40% of agency employees have entered their vaccination status in the employee portal. He is contemplating sending out technicians with tablets to assist workers in uploading their vaccination cards.
Metro’s chief medical officer and chief safety officer have advised a regimen of mandatory testing if the employee vaccination rate doesn’t exceed 70%, WTOP reported. Essentially, in order for an employee to work, they will have to take recurring coronavirus tests if they don’t have proof of vaccination.
“While I hope that won’t be necessary, given the presence of the delta variant in parts of our region and the surge of COVID cases the region is experiencing, we are preparing to step up testing processes and procedures if needed,” Wiedefeld said, WTOP reported.
If Wiedefeld orders the testing process to proceed, Metro will join many D.C.-area employers, including some hospitals, that require employees to be vaccinated or face some testing regimen.
