Washington Delays COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Students After Ruling

Officials in Washington are delaying enforcement of the school COVID-19 vaccine mandate after a federal judge struck down vaccination requirements for city workers.

Students aged 12 and older who don’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine won’t be barred from school until Jan. 3, 2023, the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) stated on Aug. 27.

Before the change, students who didn’t provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination were going to be prohibited from attending classes just 20 days after the school year started.

“Schools are not permitted to allow a student to attend more than 20 school days while the school does not have certification of immunization,” the office’s immunization attendance policy reads.

It outlines a process that kicks off when students don’t provide proof of vaccination. Their families are told initially about the impending prohibition and given another warning when the 20-day deadline gets closer.

“On the 20th school day of the 20-school day period, the School Health Team should: a. Send a final determination written notice to the parent, guardian, or adult student stating that the student is prohibited from attending school beginning the next school day,” the policy reads.

The OSSE stated that many “leaders” have been in touch about “the challenges of tracking enforcement for COVID-19 vaccinations.” The delayed enforcement date is expected to give schools and school officials “additional time to prepare and for students to get their COVID-19 vaccinations.”

The policy is different for other required immunizations. Students who don’t get one or more of them will be barred from school on Oct. 11 if they’re in fifth grade or lower, or on Nov. 4 if they’re in higher grades.

Mandate Struck Down

The change comes a day after a judge in Washington struck down Mayor Muriel Bowser’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city workers, ruling that Bowser

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