California Childhood COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Delayed

Last week, State Sen. Richard Pan dropped SB 871, his bill that would have added the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of vaccinations required for school.

Last week, State Sen. Richard Pan (D – Sacramento) dropped SB 871, his bill that would have added the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of vaccinations required for students to be admitted to school, and would have eliminated the personal belief exemption that currently exists under Governor Newsom’s student vaccine mandate. 

Pan cited “insufficient” vaccination rates and the need to shift the state’s focus to improving vaccine access.

Following Pan’s withdrawal of SB 871, The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) also announced that the state will delay COVID-19 vaccine requirements for schools until the 2023-2024 school year, pending federal approval.   

“California will not initiate the regulatory process for a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for the 2022-2023 school year and as such, any vaccine requirements would not take effect until after full FDA approval and no sooner than July 1, 2023,” said the CDPH in a released statement.

SB 866, Sen. Scott Weiner’s (D – Sacramento) bill that would lower the age of vaccination consent without parental knowledge to 12 years of age remains active.

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