In a letter dated July 28, 2021 and addressed to "Team," Shreveport Mayor has strongly urged all city employees to get vaccinated against the COVID virus...and as soon as possible.

The Mayor praises municipal workers for their dedication to the job during the last year, not only through the pandemic, but also in the face of February's record - and dangerous - record snow, ice and near-zero-cold.

Perkins also says he understands the hesitancy of some, for reasons based on religion or distrust, to get the vaccine.

But he then says that, in his opinion, the widely available vaccines have been vetted and are an obvious fix to another surge of the virus and its newer Delta variant.

Team:

I am not writing to you as a politician, boss or Mayor, but as a fellow citizen. Like you, I love my family, friends and our city. In order for us to protect those assets that sustain us and give us purpose, we must get vaccinated.

Vaccine hesitancy has been real and justified, but not anymore. I am an African-American that understands the reputation of our public health system. I am a Christian that understands the weight of what our Pastors tell us. I am an American who understands how interwoven our politics can be into our identity. However the vaccine has been widely available for four months. We have had more than enough time to do our own research and compare those social influences with the alternatives - death, hospitalizations, masks, business shutdowns, limited travel and altered livelihoods.

You wake up each day to serve this city and to protect our city. I have seen your sacrifices firsthand. You have bravely gone out into a pandemic to clean, repair and patrol our streets even before public health officials knew exactly what we were facing. Tirelessly, you worked through a winter freeze that hasn't been seen in a century. Daily you make sacrifices for the wellbeing of Shreveport.

There is no deficit of courage or selflessness and in this moment your city needs you more than ever. In this moment the best way to serve Shreveport, to protect Shreveport, is to get vaccinated and encourage those around you to do the same.

Regardless of the title, we are leaders in our city. Let's lead!

Sincerely,

Adrian Perkins

Mayor City of Shreveport

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