I am hard-bent on people getting vaccinated.”

Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha

Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha is giving serious consideration to issuing a vaccine mandate to all municipal employees in town.

Late last week, Mr. Cunha said he has been thinking about possibly issuing a vaccine mandate for Barrington town employees, but has not made a final decision yet, partly because the Covid vaccines had not yet received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

“Once those vaccines receive final approval, my final decision becomes a lot easier,” Mr. Cunha said, adding “I am hard-bent on people getting vaccinated.” (On Monday, it was announced that the FDA had issued final approval to the Pfizer vaccine.)

The town manager said that a vaccine mandate for municipal employees, should he choose to order it following final FDA approval, would be paired with an alternative for those who are unwilling or unable to be vaccinated. He said Barrington municipal employees who have religious reasons or medial issues with the vaccine would be required to be tested on a regular basis. 

“If you’re not going to go (get the vaccine)… go get tested,” he said. 

Mr. Cunha said that while he is very “pro-vaccine,” he believes that issuing a mandate without offering a testing alternative “would be backing people into a corner.” 

The town manager said he did not want to see people get sick or die, and believes some municipal employees who have not yet been vaccinated are “on the fence.”

“Sometimes people just need a little encouragement,” Mr. Cunha said.

The town manager said the majority of municipal employees in Barrington have already been vaccinated. He said 98 percent of the fire department is fully vaccinated, while 60 percent of the police department employees have been vaccinated. Mr. Cunha said he was not sure how many town hall employees had been vaccinated and estimated that 60 percent of the department of public works staff has been vaccinated. 

Best in the state

Barrington school officials announced late last week that the vaccination rate for Barrington students was the highest in the state.

According to a press release from the district, more than 75 percent of the eligible students in Barrington are fully vaccinated. In addition, 97 percent of Barrington School Department are fully vaccinated. The Rhode Island Department of Health shared the updated vaccination rates recently.

Barrington schools will open the 2021-22 school year on Sept. 8 with in-person learning. The district will begin the year with regular arrival and dismissal times, class schedules, and opportunities for athletics and other extracurricular activities. 

“All of our schools will open in the fall with precautions in place to reduce the spread of Covid-19,” stated the release. “We are striving to make the student experience at BPS a positive one.”

Barrington schools will require masks on all students, staff, and visitors inside school buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

“Social distancing of at least three feet or more for non-stable pods will be maintained wherever possible,” stated the release.