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San Diego County begins gathering proof of vaccination from employees

County employees that do not provide proof of vaccination will be subject to weekly COVID-19 testing and are required to wear masks while indoors.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — San Diego County will begin collecting COVID-19 vaccination verification from its 18,000 employees starting on Tuesday before the requirement goes into effect next Monday. County employees that do not provide proof of vaccination will be subject to weekly COVID-19 testing and are required to wear masks while indoors.

On Monday, Chairman Nathan Fletcher said the county is discussing the possibility of disciplinary action for employees that do not agree to do either, although it’s unclear what that would be. This news comes as the county is recommending business owners in private, public, and nonprofit sectors require their employees to adhere to this same agreement - either show proof of vaccination or get tested weekly while continuing to wear a face-covering indoors. Vice-Chair Nora Vargas clarified that this is a recommendation to businesses at this time, not a mandate.

On Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., the nonpartisan group ReOpen San Diego will hold a rally at the County Administration Building to address its concerns.

In a statement to News 8, the group said Tuesday’s goal is, “to ask all businesses and government agencies not to request proof of vaccination as a condition of service or employment.”

”We don’t all look the same, but we’re united for one purpose and what that purpose is liberty,” said Shaun Frederickson, a San Diego man that went viral earlier this summer for his public comments at a meeting with Dr. Wilma Wooten. “The beauty of liberty is we can disagree and here we are, where we have the ability to disagree and stand in unity and know that there’s one thing that’s worth preserving, and that’s our freedom.”

Hundreds of businesses have already signed a Business Equality Pledge and posted a Proclamation pledging not to discriminate,” said the group. “Citizens are also signing a petition to refuse to comply with these arbitrary and unconstitutional requirements.”

"[To] all you trouble makers out there that took the time to read the constitution, thanks to everybody for answering the call to rise up when your country needs you and say ‘I do not consent,” said Alyson Hartman of ReOpen San Diego.

While San Diego County is not experiencing the immense strain of other parts of California and other states, Fletcher reminded people to continue to take the pandemic seriously, as many hospitals in the region were facing staffing shortages -- at least partially attributed to burnout and fatigue.

WATCH RELATED: Breaking down what new vaccine mandates mean for your workplace

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