#Washington Post to require vaccines for reporters and staff

The Washington Post will require all employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, the newspaper’s publisher said.

Fred Ryan, the paper’s publisher, announced in an email to staff that all employees will be required to present proof that they are vaccinated against the virus by mid-September when the company reopens its offices.

“Even though the overwhelming majority of Post employees have already provided proof of vaccination, I do not take this decision lightly,” Ryan said in the memo.

“However, in considering the serious health issues and genuine safety concerns of so many Post employees, I believe the plan is the right one.”

The newspaper will make exceptions for those with medical and religious concerns, Ryan said. Contractors and guests who enter the company’s offices will also be required to show proof of vaccination.

The company’s new vaccination rule comes as the country has experienced recent surges in COVID-19 cases, which have been driven by unvaccinated Americans.

People who are not vaccinated currently account for around 99.5 percent of COVID-19 deaths and 97 percent of hospitalizations in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

With Post wires