TUESDAY, March 19, 2024
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California becomes first state in U.S. to require COVID-19 vaccine or testing for teachers, school staff

California becomes first state in U.S. to require COVID-19 vaccine or testing for teachers, school staff

According to the new public health order issued by the California Department of Public Health, all school staff are required to either show proof of full vaccination or be tested at least once per week.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday the most populous state in the United States will implement first-in-the-nation measure to require all teachers and school staff to get vaccinated as schools return from summer break amid COVID-19 delta variant spread.

Newsom noted in a news conference at a Northern California school that "this is the right thing to do."

"We think this is a sustainable way to keeping our schools open, and to address the number one anxiety that parents like myself have for young children," said the governor, adding that "schools are doing everything in their power to keep our kids safe, to keep our kids healthy."

Newsom said an impressive 124 billion U.S. dollars is being invested in California's public education system this year to implement various school initiatives, including supports for physical and mental health as well as the social-emotional and academic needs of students.

According to the new public health order issued by the California Department of Public Health, all school staff are required to either show proof of full vaccination or be tested at least once per week. The new policy will take effect Thursday and schools must be in full compliance by Oct. 15.

There are around 6 million children and young adults in more than 10,000 schools with 300,000 teachers in the state's public school system, according to the California Department of Education.

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