NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — In August city managers in Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth and Williamsburg announced that by October 1, they would require weekly COVID testing for employees that aren’t vaccinated.
Weekly testing is a big ask. Norfolk Health Director Dr. Parham Jaberi said Norfolk city leaders asked how they should tackle this requirement.
“We were consulted on what VDH had done to test our employees and how we maintained our records,” Dr. Jaberi said.
Not every city has started swabbing.
Norfolk and Suffolk city officials said testing starts October 4. Portsmouth officials said their weekly testing starts October 14.
Hampton leaders said their employees have until October 4 to report their status, but officials report out of more than 2,000 employees, 1,553 have provided vaccination proof.
Newport News officials said over 80% of employees provided vaccination proof by September 30.
Now the biggest private employer in our area is going a step further. Leaders with Huntington Ingalls Industries announced their employees have to get vaccinated by December.
A Huntington Ingalls Industry Spokesperson told 13News Now the federal vaccine mandate does not give a testing option.
On Friday a crowd of Newport News Shipbuilding workers and some community members protested near the shipyard.
“I believe people should have a choice in their own healthcare decisions,” said a protestor named Tammy.
Employees at the rally said they aren’t sure if they will have a job once the vaccine deadline hits in December.
“Now I have to move again,” said worker William Burdette. “You know, I moved out here to work for these people and so, it’s scary.”
13News Now is waiting to hear back from Williamsburg about their testing plans.
Chesapeake and Virginia Beach have not announced any weekly testing requirements. City officials with both localities tell us they are monitoring COVID data and require masks in their buildings.