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Aug 11, 2021 - Politics & Policy

California to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or tests for teachers, school staff

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Wednesday announced that teachers and other school staff will be required to get vaccinated or agree to get regularly tested.

Why it matters: California is the first state in the U.S. to impose such a requirement. Most states are allowing individual school districts to decide on vaccine and mask requirements.

  • School districts in San Francisco, Oakland Sacramento, and Long Beach have already made vaccines mandatory.
  • California also recent instituted a vaccine mandate for health care workers

Details: The mandate will go into effect August 12, and schools must be in full compliance by October 15.

What they're saying: “We think this is the right thing to do," Newsom said at a press conference. "And to address the number one anxiety that parents like myself have, I have four young children, and that is knowing that the schools are doing everything in their power to keep our kids safe, to keep our kids healthy.”

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