California Delays COVID-19 In-Person Learning Vaccination Requirement

Students and parents catch a break with not having to make that controversial choice to remain in public schools next year of the COVID-19 vaccination requirement. The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet fully approved the vaccines for all ages within the 7–12 grade spans. Last October California stated that full approval by the FDA was a necessary prior to initiating the process to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of other vaccinations required for in-person school attendance—such as measles, mumps, and rubella—that are already part of California’s Health and Safety Code. Since there will not be enough time to make sure new vaccination requirements are met the state will not require the vaccine at least for one more year. Students and teachers will not be required to have the vaccination for the 2022-2023 school year. Yet new vaccine requirements could take effect after full FDA approval, which will for now be no sooner than July 1 of next year.