DCPS to Require Back-to-School COVID-19 Tests, Vaccines for Students 12+

 DCPS Back-to-School 2022: COVID-19 Test, Vaccines Requirements – NBC4 Washington (nbcwashington.com)

D.C. schools expand covid vaccine mandate, unlike most other districts

D.C. students who are 12 and older must be vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend school this upcoming academic year.

The youth vaccine mandate in D.C. is among the strictest in the nation, according to health experts, and is being enacted in a city with wide disparities in vaccination rates between its White and Black children. Overall, about 85 percent of students between the ages of 12 and 15 have been vaccinated against the virus, but the rate drops to 60 percent among Black children in this age range...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/07/31/dc-schools-covid-vaccine-mandate/

COVID-19 vaccine will be included in back-to-school shot requirements for DC students ages 12-15.

COVID-19 vaccine will be included in back-to-school shot requirements for DC students ages 12-15. DC Council passed legislation last year requiring the FDA-(fully) approved vaccine for eligible students.

— Scott Gelman (@Gelman_Scott) July 19, 2022

ICYMI @MCPSAthletics noted a change to student 💉 requirements: “Vaccination for COVID-19 is strongly recommended for student-athletes, but is no longer required. This change to the vaccination requirement applies to summer conditioning and the upcoming fall season.”

ICYMI @MCPSAthletics noted a change to student 💉 requirements: “Vaccination for COVID-19 is strongly recommended for student-athletes, but is no longer required. This change to the vaccination requirement applies to summer conditioning and the upcoming fall season.” https://t.co/ttvEiOK7rU

— Stephanie Ramirez (@RamirezReports) June 17, 2022

Protect Their Future: Statement on FDA Delay for Moderna Data Review

May 23, 2022– Protect Their Future welcomes news that Pfizer reported positive top-line results for its three dose regimen for children under 5.  However, the news that the FDA will not meet to review Moderna’s EUA submission until June 15 is extremely disappointing and unacceptable. Drs. Califf and Marks are both on the record denying that the FDA is waiting for Pfizer and saying that they’re working on Moderna’s submission as fast as they can. Today’s news from the FDA does not appear consistent with those statements. It is concerning that even if the Moderna review is completed sooner, the FDA is still going to wait for this scheduled VRBPAC meeting despite the fact that Dr. Marks specifically told the House Select Subcommittee on May 6th that they would move up the VRBPAC if they completed the review sooner. 

With the country in the midst of a surge, every day counts.  Each EUA application for children under 5 should be considered on its own merits and accorded the urgency of prior EUA submissions for every other age cohort. Every day the review process is delayed means that more children will be infected and put at risk.  Furthermore, for many children, Moderna’s two dose regimen may be the only chance they will have to start a new school year fully vaccinated.  The FDA must review Moderna’s data, and if proven to be safe and effective, approve without delay.  And when Pfizer’s application is ready to submit, review that data urgently as well.

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About Protect Their Future:

Protect Their Future is a grassroots group of physicians, parents, and activists advocating to prioritize children in public health policy and have access to COVID-19 vaccines as the pandemic rages on.  The organization is calling on health leaders to PUT KIDS FIRST and allow parents and doctors the option to protect children with a safe and effective vaccine.

https://www.protecttheirfuture.org/fda-delay-for-moderna-review

Parents rally for vaccine approval for children under age 6 in Silver Spring

SILVER SPRING, Md. (7News) — Parents with Protect Their Future rallied outside the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland on Monday. The parents demanded an urgent review of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for their children.

The vaccine company submitted its request for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize its vaccine for children ages 6 months to 6 years old. Right now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children 5 and older get vaccinated...

https://wjla.com/news/local/covid-19-vaccine-kids-protect-their-future-rally-silver-spring-maryland-cdc-fda-coronavirus-pandemic-covid19-vaccination-approval-children-under-age-6-moderna-pfizer-food-drug-administration

Free Walk Up Vaccinations for 5-11 Year Olds in Silver Spring, Germantown, and East County

For more information go here: Free Walk Up Vaccinations for 5-11 Year Olds in Silver Spring, Germantown, and East County (mailchi.mp)

Free Walkups for Pediatric Vaccines 5 to 11-year-olds (Pfizer) available on a first-come, first served basis   Thurs 12/9 & Fri 12/10 3-7pm in East County, Silver Spring and Germantown   Pre-registration appointments strongly encouraged due to limited number of vaccines available   Thursday, December 9, 3:00-7:00pm East County Recreation Center: https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/6137020922 Montgomery College – Germantown:  https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/3991620072 Dennis Ave Health Center:  https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/1210369023 Friday, December 10, 3:00-7:00pm East County Recreation Center:  https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/6137020922 Montgomery College – Germantown:  https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/3991620072 Dennis Ave Health Center:  https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/3592206301   East County Recreation Center: 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring, MD 20904 Montgomery College – Germantown: 20200 Observation Drive B/E Building, Germantown, MD 20876 Dennis Ave Health Center: 2000 Dennis Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20902

Vaccine for ages 5 to 11 is being distributed to local health departments, private medical practices, and pharmacies in Maryland. Two thirds of the doses will be provided by pharmacies and health care providers and about one third will be provided by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).Take advantage of the many places to get vaccinations. We get more doses weekly. Initially, the number of doses will be limited--please be patient. We will not be able to vaccinate every eligible child immediately. Check with your health care provider to see if they are offering vaccinations. We estimate that we have more than 100,000 children in the age 5 to 11 group. It will take some time to fully vaccinate every eligible child who wants it. Children ages 5 to 11 get 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, 3 weeks apart. The pediatric vaccine is specially packaged. It is NOT interchangeable with the Pfizer doses given to people age 12 and older. More info here. GoVaxMoCo.com Montgomery County Public Schools Vaccine Info QUESTIONS? CALL 311

More than 95% of MCPS Employees Have Been Vaccinated

 

95.3% of school employees have been vaccinated for COVID-19, according to James D’Andrea, chief of staff in the Office of Superintendent at Montgomery County Public Schools...

https://www.mymcmedia.org/more-than-95-of-mcps-employees-have-been-vaccinated/

Montgomery Co. schools back down from employee vaccine mandate

It’s no longer get vaccinated or get fired if you’re a Montgomery County Public Schools employee — at least not yet.

The county confirms it is now offering those who admit they haven’t been vaccinated, or who won’t say one way or the other, the alternative of once-a-week testing in order “to meet operational demands.”

In a statement, the school system cites changing conditions surrounding the pandemic, including increased vaccination numbers for adults and approval of the vaccine for children as young as five...

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2021/11/mcps-backs-down-from-vaccine-mandate-for-employees/

MORE THAN 1,700 MCPS EMPLOYEES MISS DEADLINE TO REPORT VACCINATION STATUS

More than 1,700 Montgomery County Public School employees have not reported their vaccination status as of Nov. 15, and the school district is extending their already-pushed-back deadline for reporting before issuing disciplinary measures.

As of the morning of Nov. 15, 1,782 employees had yet to report their vaccination status, according to MCPS Director of Communications Chris Cram.

On Sept. 9, the Montgomery County Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution mandating that all school district staff must be vaccinated against COVID-19, with a deadline of Oct. 29 to electronically report vaccination status. In early October, the deadline was extended to the end of the day on Nov. 15. Now, employees have until 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19 to report, according to Cram.

Out of the 24,588 employees of MCPS, over 22,200 (about 90%) have reported that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to Cram. Additionally, since July, MCPS has received 264 requests for religious exemptions and 197 requests for medical exemptions...

https://www.mymcmedia.org/more-than-1700-mcps-employees-miss-deadline-to-report-vaccination-status/

Montgomery County schools administrator drops COVID-19 vaccine mandate lawsuit

A Montgomery County Public Schools administrator has dropped his lawsuit over the system’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees after receiving a religious exemption, according to the latest filing in the case.

The administrator filed a stipulation of dismissal Friday in U.S. District Court in Maryland.

An attorney for the anonymous employee said Monday that further litigation was not necessary because the employee, identified in court documents as “John Doe,” received the religious exemption he sought after bringing the lawsuit.

Doe, according to the complaint, is a Christian who “holds the sincere belief that obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination would conflict with the edicts of his religion and, therefore, that obtaining a COVID-19 vaccine would constitute a sin in the eyes of God.”..

...Josh Dixon, an attorney who represented Doe in the lawsuit, said the school system “changed its position to allow religious exemptions” in response to the lawsuit.

“Based on MCPS’s reversal of its prior positions, we determined that further litigation was not necessary,” said Dixon, who serves as senior litigation counsel for the Pittsburgh-based Center for American Liberty.

A spokesperson for MCPS did not immediately reply to an email requesting comment Monday.

The deadline for employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and report their vaccine status is now Nov. 15.

Instead of receiving a vaccine, Doe will be required to receive weekly COVID-19 testing and follow other health measures, according to court filings. He works in an administrative building, according to the complaint, and rarely interacts with students...

https://thedailyrecord.com/2021/11/01/montgomery-county-schools-administrator-drops-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-lawsuit/

MCPS requires vaccination for all staff and winter and spring athletes

On Sept. 9, the Montgomery County Board of Education passed a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) staff. According to the mandate, all staff must show verification of receiving the first COVID-19 shot by Sept. 30. By Oct. 29, all staff must show verification of full vaccination. 

MCPS currently follows the CDC's definition for "fully vaccinated," which is defined as two weeks after the second dose of a two-dose vaccine, or two weeks after a dose of a single-dose vaccine.

Staff members may be exempted from the vaccine requirement due to medical reasons, and employees who are not yet fully vaccinated are still required to complete weekly COVID-19 tests. 

The Board of Education also passed a vaccination requirement for all winter and spring student athletes. Students who wish to register, try out, and participate in winter and spring sports must submit proof of full vaccination by Nov. 15...

https://silverchips.mbhs.edu/content/mcps-requires-vaccination-for-all-staff-and-winter-and-spring-athletes-33587/

California will require all students to get a coronavirus vaccine when it gets full FDA approval

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/10/01/california-student-covid-vaccine-mandate/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1q2yad26jbBYaUX9Mh6cr5jJfTl5pmGREvf0mr7oLUAFthF6QUC4hqtu0

Md. Schools Can Require Proof of COVID Vaccination From Students

Maryland schools can ask for the COVID-19 vaccination status of students and require proof of vaccination, even if the schools themselves are not mandating vaccines, according to a legal opinion requested by a state lawmaker. 

Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) said he asked the Office of the Attorney General for clarification on whether schools were allowed to require proof of vaccination status after confusion around the start of this school year. 

By law, a school can acquire a student’s immunization history from a state database or require families to provide that information directly, Sandra Benson Brantley, counsel to the General Assembly, wrote in a letter to Rosapepe this week...

https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/09/16/md-schools-can-require-proof-of-covid-vaccination-from-students/?fbclid=IwAR2czp5sbMvMgVV865x96Mb_-_uy8uoIeQwxC4RChFOv4LqHO1dV2LGLw44

About 6,000 MCPS employees have not yet informed the school system about their vaccination status and another 600 have reported they are unvaccinated.

Maryland’s largest school system tightened coronavirus vaccine requirements for its 24,000 employees, deciding on Thursday to fully mandate the shots rather than allow the option of weekly testing.

The move in suburban Montgomery County could have a far-reaching effect: About 6,000 employees have not yet informed the school system about their vaccination status and another 600 have reported they are unvaccinated.

School board members said the aim was to bolster conditions that support in-person instruction. The school system has quarantined nearly 1,700 students in its first eight school days.

“The pandemic has recently grown worse with the spread of the delta variant,” Brenda Wolff, the school board’s president, said before the panel voted unanimously to approve the measure. “We believe that vaccines provide, not just protection for the individual but are essential to community safety.”..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/montgomery-county-schools-staff-covid-vaccine-mandate/2021/09/09/97f5cf8c-11c1-11ec-882f-2dd15a067dc4_story.html

@Brad7News #BREAKING @pgcps to enroll 12,000+ K-6 students for virtual learning. Several weeks ago as the delta variant surged a wait list was created. Everyone who signed up will be accommodated says system spokesperson. The virtual program will end when children that age are vaccinated.

#BREAKING @pgcps to enroll 12,000+ K-6 students for virtual learning. Several weeks ago as the delta variant surged a wait list was created. Everyone who signed up will be accommodated says system spokesperson. The virtual program will end when children that age are vaccinated.

— Brad Bell (@Brad7News) August 25, 2021

NYC mandates vaccinations for public school teachers, staff. Silence from MCPS and Elected Board of Education

Story by Jennifer Peltz, AP News. Full story here. Still no word from the Board of Education members that you elected, or from the Deputy Superintendent, Dr. McKnight, that they appointed. Of course the Board of Education members are all appointed by you, the voters.

NEW YORK (AP) — All New York City public school teachers and other staffers will have to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, officials said Monday as the nation’s largest school system prepares for classes to start next month.

The city previously said teachers, like other city employees, would have to get the shots or get tested weekly for the virus. The new policy marks the first flat-out vaccination mandate for city workers in the nation’s most populous city.

About 148,000 school employees — and contractors who work in schools — will have to get at least a first dose by Sept. 27, according to an announcement from Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city health and education departments.

Howard County Public Schools to Require COVID-19 Vaccines or Testing of All Employees. Silence from MCPS, Board of Ed, MCEA, Dep. Superintendent McKnight

 At the Howard County Board of Education meeting on August 12, 2021, Howard County Public School System Superintendent Dr. Michael J. Martirano announced that all HCPSS employees will be required to provide proof of full vaccination or undergo regular COVID-19 testing for the 2021-2022 school year.

This decision is an outcome of growing concerns among stakeholders and to provide families and staff a higher level of assurance as they prepare for the start of the school year. The Superintendent noted that support for the decision was expressed by Howard County Health Officer Dr. Maura Rossman and the leaders of HCPSS bargaining units, and stated that implementation procedures and further guidance will be made available over the coming days.

“I did not make this decision lightly,” said Martirano. “We know that vaccines and masking are our best tools in confronting this pandemic. As a community, it is our responsibility to keep students safe by taking these precautions, and I feel strongly that this is another important measure to help keep our schools open.”

HCPSS’ decision to require proof of vaccination or testing is consistent with the Maryland State Department of Education’s direction that in-person instruction be provided every day throughout the 2021-2022 school year. HCPSS does not intend to revise the in-person instructional model unless schools are directed to close by the state or Howard County Health Department.

“I have not wavered in my conviction that fully in-person instruction is absolutely best for our students academically and for their social and emotional well-being,” added Martirano. “I want to make use of every tool available that will assist in mitigation to allow us to keep schools open. I don’t want to leave anything to chance in keeping children safe.”

Though HCPSS staff have not previously been required to disclose their vaccination status, 5,750 vaccine doses were disseminated through system partners last spring to all staff who wished to receive them, and many other staff members indicated they received vaccines through other providers.

The Superintendent also stated that Howard County public schools will be open, in person, five days per week beginning on the first day of school. The district will return to a normal instructional program, with the addition of universal masking regardless of vaccination status and other precautions such as increased ventilation, continued hand-washing, use of hand sanitizer, and use of plexiglass where appropriate.

Maryland Lawmakers Push For Teacher Vaccine Mandate. Silence from Montg. Co. Board of Ed, Deputy Super. McKnight, and MCEA

 From reporter Rachel Baye, at WYPR 88.1 Baltimore. Full story here.

With school set to start in just a few weeks and COVID-19 cases on the rise, some state lawmakers are calling for a vaccine mandate for Maryland’s teachers.

Last year, dominant strains of COVID-19 posed the greatest health risk to adults, while children were less likely to face severe illness or hospitalization. Still, students attended school remotely, largely to protect the adults around them.

But now, “the game has changed,” Del. Stephanie Smith, a Democrat and chair of the Baltimore City House delegation, said during a legislative briefing Wednesday.

And:

Other state lawmakers made similar comments during Wednesday’s briefing.

However, organizations representing teachers and school superintendents did not voice explicit support for a mandate.

“We support the districts having that conversation — to have proof of vaccination and if you're not vaccinated, to have frequent testing,” said Cheryl Bost, president of the Maryland State Education Association. “We are open to that — having those discussions at our local levels.”

The Baltimore Teachers Union has not yet polled members on the question of a vaccine mandate, so it does not yet have a position, said President Diamonté Brown.

And from the local school superintendents’ perspective, any vaccine mandate should be statewide.

“I think there's pretty general agreement among at least the superintendents that we would like to see this be a state initiative,” said Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Sean Bulson, who spoke Wednesday on behalf of the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland.

However, he said, some local districts are taking up the issue, which he said is a “difficult subject.”

Maryland offers $1 million COVID-19 vaccination scholarship program

From ABC News, full story here. 

Maryland Gov. Hogan announced earlier this month, the launch of the $1 million VaxU scholarship program. The effort is to incentivize those eligible, kids between 12-17 to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the governor said. Anyone between those ages who was vaccinated in the state is automatically entered to win.

Winners will receive a $50,000 scholarship for any public, in-state institution of higher education. As of July 12, the state began randomly selecting two winners and will continue with weekly drawings through Labor Day, when they will then pick four winners.

“The virus, and its variants are a dangerous threat to you,” Hogan said. “Getting vaccinated is the only way to protect yourself and to continue on our recovery.”

"The winners will receive a Maryland 529 prepaid college trust contract, which locks in today's tuition rates for the future, or a Maryland 529 College invest plan," said Gov. Hogan. "And the winner, if they decide down the line.... [that they] would like to attend a private institution or school that's outside of the state of Maryland, they can actually transfer the scholarship to the school of their choice."