DCist/WAMU / Tyrone Turner
The D.C. Council unanimously voted Tuesday to repeal a mandate requiring students who are eligible for the COVID-19 shot to be fully vaccinated to attend public school.
Councilmembers say they still encourage young people to get vaccinated, as the COVID-19 vaccine remains the best way to slow the spread of the virus and save lives. But they fear too many students would miss school because they are not in compliance with the required immunizations. Lawmakers are already concerned about students who fell behind in learning during the pandemic.
Enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate the council passed in 2021 has been fraught, as the city delayed it more than once to ensure they vaccinated as many young people as they could. Compliance was still expected to be an issue whenever it was enforced; more than 40% of children over 12 in D.C. public and charter schools have not completed their two-dose primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine as of June, according to DC Health.
The new law, introduced by Chairman Phil Mendelson and At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson, would take effect following the approval of Mayor Muriel Bowser and the standard 30-day congressional review. Bowser is expected to sign the bill into law given that several D.C. agencies under her purview, including the Department of Health and the Deputy Mayor of Education, testified in favor of measure.
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