California First To Require COVD-19 Vaccinations in K-12 Schools
A recent California mandate will require K-12 students to be vaccinated in order to attend in-person learning in an effort to minimize the transmission of COVID-19. This makes California the first state in the country to issue such a mandate. Five school districts, Culver City, Los Angeles, Oakland, Piedmont, and San Diego, are implementing vaccination requirements. The COVID-19 vaccine will be listed amongst measles, mumps and rubella, all of which are prerequisite immunizations required to attend public school.
A counter-protestor waves a sign as they drive by a rally organized by facebook group LA Mommies on October 8, 2021 in front of Palisades High School in the Paciific Palisades, Calif. COVID-19 vaccination is set to join LAUSD's self-maintained list of required vaccinations for enrollment by November, 2021. (Marc Federici | The Corsair)
Prior to this announcement, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) required all K-12 students to wear a mask at all times and take a weekly COVID-19 test, declaring negative test results before attending in-person classes. Similarly, the new mandate will be a condition of in-person attendance as well. A student who is not vaccinated may remain enrolled in a school but may not attend in-person lectures.
Daisy Hernadez, an early childhood special education instructor from Leo Politi Elementary said, “Vaccines are what’s necessary to contain the pandemic.” Having worked as a substitute teacher in grades K-5, Daisy said, “I had to constantly tell students to keep their mask on or put it over their nose. Some of my kids are limited in their physical abilities and need that extra support to place the mask band behind their ears. It would be beneficial for students to be vaccinated because there is lots of interaction with many people at schools.”
Students age 12 and under are not yet CDPH approved to be vaccinated. Therefore, the California mandate will follow a schedule dictating the deadline children need to be vaccinated by based on their age.
According to a newsletter released by Gov. Gavin Newsom, once students in grades K-6 are approved by the FDA, the “CDPH will consider relevant recommendations” from three different health committees. After listening to recommendations, the CDPH will initiate the rulemaking process.
Students ages 12 and up meet the age requirement placed by CDPH. Stated in the newsletter from Newsom’s office, students can expect to “show proof of vaccination as soon as July 1st, 2022.” While the new vaccination requirement is “a regulation, not a legislation, the mandate must be subjected to exemptions.”
Noemi Rodriguez has nieces and nephews attending Washington Elementary in Montebello. She said, “the vaccine should be voluntary.” In December of 2020, Noemi’s seven year-old niece and two nephews ages four and six contracted COVID-19 and were treated “under quarantine with herbal teas, medicine for their fevers and Vapor Rub for body aches and headaches.”
With her household having experienced COVID-19, Noemi states, “I understand the fear of schools, parents, and teachers towards COVID and the unknown, but due to the fact that the vaccine is fairly new and data is forming day by day, I consider it a harmful decision”
Under the rule making process, the public will be able to voice their opinion and comment on the mandate. The newsletter cites exemptions to the vaccination mandate for students under two categories: “medical reasons and personal beliefs.” This is expected to begin after the FDA approves a vaccine for children.
