Los Angeles, California — The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is now the first major K-12 school system in the nation to require all students 12 years of age and older receive the COVID-19 vaccination. The LAUSD board approved the requirement in a special meeting on Thursday.
“The science is clear – vaccinations are an essential part of protection against COVID-19,” LAUSD said in an online announcement. “In order to reduce transmission and ensure students can remain on campus in the safest possible environment and receive the best education possible, Los Angeles Unified is now requiring all students who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination to be fully vaccinated by Monday, January 10, 2022, unless they have a qualified exemption.
“All students who are 12 years of age and older and are part of in-person extracurricular programs must receive their first vaccine dose by no later than October 3, 2021 and their second dose by no later than October 31, 2021. All students who are 12 years of age and older must receive their first vaccine dose by no later than November 21, 2021 and their second dose by no later than December 19, 2021. All other students must receive their first vaccine dose by no later than 30 days after their 12th birthday, and their second dose by no later than 8 weeks after their 12th birthday.”
Currently, Culver City Unified is the only other public school district in California to require vaccination of its students. However, the requirement has not gone into effect yet.
LAUSD’s mandate applies to all district students, as well as charter school students on “co-located district school facilities,” reports ABC7.
The district is also offering COVID-19 vaccinations to the families of students at several campus-located vaccination centers.
According to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll, the move is supported by most Americans.
