The Barrington School Committee will vote Thursday night on a policy that would require all school department employees be vaccinated for Covid-19.

The policy — “General and Interim Emergency Policy on COVID-19 Related Issues” — was first approved in Sept. 2020. The amendment, which is scheduled to have its second reading at the school committee meeting on Thursday, Sept. 2, calls for all employees to be fully vaccinated by no later than Nov. 1, and receive a booster vaccine when it is eligible. The amendment allows for certain exemptions. 

It also requires all people, including visitors, to wear a face mask while inside any school building and while on a school bus. 

The school department’s vaccine mandate follows a similar order by the town manager in Barrington. On Friday, Aug. 27, Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha signed an order mandating all municipal employees be vaccinated by Nov. 1; employees who refuse the vaccine can apply for a medical or religious waiver or agree to be tested weekly.

The manager said the majority of municipal employees in Barrington have already been vaccinated — 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.

Barrington school officials announced last month that the vaccination rate for Barrington students was the highest in the state — more than 75 percent of the eligible students in Barrington are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. In addition, 97 percent of Barrington School Department employees are fully vaccinated.