Dear Superintendents and School Leaders,
I'm writing with updates on several COVID-19-related items that have arisen since my last message.
Student Vaccine Mandate Bill Will Not Advance this Session
Sen. Richard Pan announced today that he has held
Senate Bill (SB) 871, which would have added COVID-19 vaccinations to the list of required immunizations for school-aged children, without a personal belief exemption. This move comes a couple of weeks after
legislation seeking to impose a workplace vaccine mandate was also pulled back by its author.
There are several other COVID-19-related bills still pending, including
SB 1479, which would require schools to develop COVID-19 testing plans, and
SB 866, which would allow children aged 12 or older to receive Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccinations without parental or guardian consent.
Safe and SMART Events Playbook
With end-of-year events on the horizon, the California Department of Public Health is encouraging school leaders to consider the recommendations in its
Safe and SMART Playbook. Based on the
California SMARTER Plan, the playbook provides best practices and resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne contagions during events. In addition, the playbook also includes three helpful checklists to:
- Ensure attendees are aware of the protective measures you’re planning to create a safe event
- Help attendees make informed decisions prior to attending the event
- Help event hosts track implementation of the COVID-19 prevention strategies they plan to implement
Thank you for all that you do. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Paul
Dr. Paul Gothold
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
phone: 858-295-6641
