DC children required to get Covid vaccination or face expulsion from school

Washington, DC school students could face expulsion if they do not comply with the city's Covid mandates, which state children 12 and older must get the Covid-19 vaccination ahead of the upcoming school year.

According to the Council of the District of Columbia website, "No student shall be admitted by a school unless the school has certification of Covid-19 immunization for that student or the student is exempted."

For a student to be exempt, a parent or guardian must provide evidence that the vaccine would violate their religious beliefs or if a doctor shows that the shot could prove harmful to the child, according to Townhall,

Concerning expulsion, the Council's website says "A school shall permit a student to attend for not more than 20 school days while the school does not have certification of immunization for that student" under section 38–505, Attendance without certification.

The student can continue attending school if they begin treatments within that 20 day window, and have a note testifying that they have begun receiving the series of Covid immunizations.

In late July, the office of the State Superintendent of Education announced that all students ages 12 to 15 must receive at least one Covid vaccination by September 16. Students 16 and older must receive both initial Covid shots by the start of the school year. Vaccination requirements apply to students in all variations of DC schools, including public, private, parochial, and independent schools.

"We want to make sure that all of our students have everything they need for a healthy start to the school year," State Superintendent of Education Dr. Christina Grant said in a statement.

"This means making sure children see their primary medical provider for a well-child visit and receive all needed immunizations."

In mid July, DC's Covid risk was at a "medium" community level with a "moderate impact on the healthcare system" and "moderate levels of disease severity."  80 percent of DC children between the ages of 12 to 15 have received Covid vaccination while 76 percent of those between 16 and 17 have got the shot.