Dear members of City Council and City Manager Lahanas,

I am writing to ask the city of East Lansing to implement a vaccine mandate for all city employees and all members of city boards and commissions, and require employees with medical exemptions to test weekly.

Michigan currently has one of the highest COVID-19 levels in the United States. We know that masking and vaccines are effective ways to combat COVID-19, and urge the city to take action to protect our most vulnerable residents. against the spread of COVID-19. 

Michigan State University has adopted a vaccine mandate for all students and employees, and also recently announced that they will be requiring booster shots. The City of East Lansing should follow the lead of MSU by taking similar action and keeping our community safe on both sides of Grand River Ave.

This policy has been successful, with over 90% self-reported vaccination among MSU students, faculty, and staff. On a campus with over 50,000 people, only two staff were fired and only 16 students were suspended for refusing the vaccine. Mandates can be extremely effective as a tool to persuade reluctant individuals to be vaccinated and to increase the levels of safety and protection for the entire community.

With the recent surge in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, as well as the new omicron variant present in East Lansing, it is critical that our leaders act swiftly and with purpose to address this issue. Thank you for your service to our community, and please work to implement a vaccine requirement for City of East Lansing Employees.