On Friday, CA Governor Newsom announced “the nation’s first coronavirus vaccination mandate for schoolchildren” once “the vaccine gains final approval from the U.S. government for different age groups.” Currently, the FDA has granted full approval for people over the age 16 but the vaccine is available for kids 12-15. However, the FDA only granted only emergency authorization for this age group. Once the FDA grants full approval for this age group, CA will require all kids attending both public and private schools from 7th to 12th grade get their jabs. Newsom anticipates his mandate will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
But wait…there’s more. Once the FDA grants full approval for children 5-12, they, too, will also need to get vaccinated before attending either public or private school in California.
“We want to end this pandemic. We are all exhausted by it,” the Democratic governor told reporters at a San Francisco middle school.
Although the infection rate in CA has dropped dramatically in the last month, schools have seen slight increases in cases mainly related to youth sports.
California will allow religious and health related exemptions but “the rules for how the state would apply them have not been written yet. Any student who refuses to take the vaccine would be forced to complete an independent study course at home.”
“In August, California became the first state to require all teachers and staff in K-12 public and private schools to get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. Newsom also issued a school mask mandate earlier in the summer for indoor classes that applies to all teachers and students.”
