[ad_1]
“At the end of the day, we want our schools to stay open, and the best way to do that is to get as many people vaccinated as possible in our schools,” said Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing teachers.
It was a sentiment shared by many parents, as experts warn of the risk posed to schools amid the soaring Delta variant. Since the start of classes across America, tens of thousands of students have had to self-quarantine due to exposure to Covid-19.
“Our goal is to protect children and our goal is to have kids in school and not online,” LAUSD Acting Superintendent Megan Reilly told CNN’s Chris Cuomo Thursday night.
Dr Richard Pan, state senator, pediatrician and district parent advocated for the measure, pushing for “community immunity” to protect children too young to be eligible for the vaccine. For those under 12, a vaccine could still be months away – and hospitalizations for Covid-19 among adolescents are nearing their peak since the start of the pandemic.
Pan praised LAUSD for “leading the way” and “following the science to keep schools safe.”
While some parents spoke out in favor of the mandate, others angrily denounced the proposal.
“We are the ones who decide for our children, not the neighborhood, not just anyone else,” admonished Carla Franca, parent. “If you want to take your own children to the battlefields, do so, but you shouldn’t be the one deciding,” she said. “When you have your own children, you can make your own crazy decisions.”
The school board’s vote was unanimous on Thursday. Children who participate in sports and extracurricular activities should be vaccinated “by October”, while the rest of the students should receive their first and second doses no later than November and December, said Reilly.
The winter break will give students time to achieve full immunity, she added.
Increased cases in children
The increase in cases in the United States has included an alarming increase in children.
Data from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that 251,781 children’s cases of Covid-19 were reported between August 26 and September 2. That number represents more than a quarter of the total 939,470 cases that were reported that week.
However, the effectiveness of preventive measures, such as masks and vaccines, was shown in San Francisco, where about 90% of children between the ages of 12 and 17 are vaccinated, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health. So far this year, no coronavirus outbreak has started on the city’s school campuses, SFDPH said.
“The alleged transmissions to the school have been so weak that they cannot be publicly reported without concern for privacy and confidentiality,” said SFDPH. “All other cases reported in schools were linked to community transmission outside of school as of September 8.”
The Los Angeles mandate will apply to all vaccine-eligible students who attend school in person and would allow those with “qualified and approved exemptions” to opt out in favor of an independent learning program.
These exemptions would be largely medical and religious exemptions would be decided on a case-by-case basis, Los Angeles School Board member Jackie Goldberg told CNN.
“In this way, we are creating the safest possible environment for those who are eligible for vaccination to learn,” said Reilly, who noted that it also makes the environment safer for young children who are not. still eligible for vaccines. “They are safer when they are surrounded by adults and other vaccinated people,” she said.
80,000 unvaccinated students aged 12 and over
LAUSD, which started school on August 16, is said to be the first major school district to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for its eligible students. A smaller Los Angeles County district, Culver City Unified School District, announced in August that it plans to require eligible students to be vaccinated by mid-November.
“We imagine that by the second semester our middle and high school campuses will be absolutely even safer than they are today,” LAUSD school board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin told John Thursday morning. CNN’s Berman.
Reilly estimated there were about 225,000 students aged 12 and over in the district – including about 80,000 unvaccinated, but she said the health department would have the specific numbers.
The district, which includes more than 600,000 students, already enforces the vaccine on teachers and staff, requires everyone to wear face covers, and tests all students and staff for infections weekly. Classrooms have also been fitted with improved ventilation systems in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus.
While many schools have opened with these measures, cases across all age groups of children in the area have declined by about 30%, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement.
As of Sunday, 62% of 12 to 15 year olds in Los Angeles County received at least one dose of the vaccine and 51% were fully immunized, the statement said.
CNN’s Jessica Firger, Dakin Andone, Stella Chan and Cheri Mossburg contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link