While much of the talk this week has been about launching the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, the Oakland Unified School District is still making decisions on vaccinating students 12 and older.
Oakland Unified is one of the first big school districts to outline specifics on its vaccine mandate for students. On Wednesday night, the school board adopted the following:
- Non-exempt, unvaccinated students will have to transfer to independent study.
- Those who do not will be unenrolled.
- Either option will apply only after offering students and their families information and opportunity to be vaccinated.
Trustees in September voted 5-1 with one abstention in favor of a vaccine requirement for all students 12 and older. Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell indicated the requirement would go into effect no earlier than Jan. 1, so as to be less disruptive during the middle of the fall semester and to give students time to get their required vaccination.
Meanwhile, Bay Area mask mandates are tied to the overall vaccination, including vaccination for children 5 to 11. Health experts say allowing students to stop masking at school is a great incentive for vaccination.
Source: NBC Bay Area