California has become the first state to mandate that all teachers and other school employees either be vaccinated for Covid-19 or submit to regular testing.
USA Today reports that the the order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom requires teachers and all school employees, including custodians, aides and bus drivers, to show proof of their vaccination status to their school district. Employees who are not vaccinated must submit to weekly testing.
California, the nation's most populous state, is the first to issue a mandate for all its teachers and school employees, including those working at private schools. Hawaii issued a similar order a week ago that applies to public school employees.
California employs about 320,000 people in more than 1,000 school districts. It has more than 6.1 million students. The order says schools and employees must be in compliance by Oct. 15.
Both the federal government and state and local leaders have issued mandate after mandate on testing and shots in hopes of picking up vaccination rates amid a wave of hospitalizations in children and teens – a group that was thought to be safer from the virus and dangerous symptoms.
Several school districts in California issued similar orders mandating either vaccines for employees or regular testing.
Since the return to in-person learning in the state, Newsom announced all students would be required to wear masks in schools – a move that correlates with federal guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that says students and school employees should wear face coverings indoors.
