California will be the first state in the country to require COVID-19 vaccines for schoolchildren

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that the state will require COVID-19 vaccines for all schoolchildren ages 12 to 17 once the FDA grants full approval, becoming the first state in the country to go forward by making vaccines compulsory for schoolchildren.

The mandate will not be implemented until January, when the next school year begins, and could run until July 2022, depending on when the FDA fully approves vaccines for children under 16. But Newsom, a Democrat, urged local districts to act faster if they saw fit.

“I think we will be the first US state to move forward with this mandate and this requirement, but I don’t think, by any stretch of the imagination, that we will be the last state,” Newsom said during a press conference in San Francisco. school on Friday.

Americans 12 years of age and older are already eligible for the Pfizer vaccine under emergency use authorization, but the vaccine has been fully approved – an FDA process that takes longer – for those over. 16 years old.

“Once the FDA approves the vaccination, in different cohorts starting with 12 and above – grades 7 to 12 – we will begin to enforce this requirement in the next quarter, either January 1 or July 1, whichever comes first. “Newsom said. at a press conference on Friday.

So far, no other state has required vaccines for schoolchildren, although private elementary schools and universities across the country have.

The requirement puts the vaccine on par with 10 other vaccines that are already needed to attend school.

California has so far vaccinated 63.5% of residents aged 12 to 17 with at least one dose, compared to 84% of all eligible residents.

“For the 12 to 17 year olds, we are not where we need to be. And so we hope that will encourage people to get vaccinated,” Newsom said.

Along with putting in place the requirements for students in Grades 7 to 12, the vaccine will also be required for all California school staff, including teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers and guardians.

Exemptions will be allowed for medical reasons, personal beliefs and religious beliefs, as is the case with other vaccine requirements, Newsom said.

“We want to end this pandemic. We are all exhausted from it. And the goal is to continue to lead in this space,” Newsom said.