Officer Jack Nyce, 46, has died after being stricken by COVID-19 after missing the city’s deadline to be inoculated and being placed on leave for failing to follow the health safety rules.
Officers who have still not complied with the city’s vaccine mandate by Nov. 13 will be shifted to unpaid administrative leave, until the Police Commission convenes a hearing.
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The officer’s wife declined to say whether her husband was vaccinated but police Lt. Tracy McCray, vice president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, said he was on a 30-day stint of paid administrative leave at the time of his death because he had not received his vaccination as required by the city.
The San Francisco Police Department said last week that as many as 70 sworn and civilian workers had been placed on leave for not meeting a Nov. 1 vaccination deadline. A press release said that as of Nov. 2, 97.5% of department employees were fully vaccinated.
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“There has been no word on any Police Commission hearings regarding terminating an officer,” McCray said.
According to usafacts.org, 29,810,762 people or 75% of California has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, 24,437,977 people or 61% of California’s population has been fully vaccinated.
However, there has been a rise in cases in the past few weeks across the state.
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In Riverside, San Bernardino and Fresno counties, conditions are deteriorating, with hospitalizations up by more than 20% in recent weeks. In Orange County, COVID-19 hospitalizations are up by 16% since Halloween.
“COVID cases are beginning to rise. Winter months [mean] people indoors and more possibilities for spread,” Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted.
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“Keep your immunity up,” he added. “Get your booster.”
Officials are hopeful that strict vaccination requirements in some of California’s most populated areas will help slow the spread of cases in the winter.
Stay updated with more news here at the East County Gazette.
