A new timeline for student vaccination was approved by the San Diego Unified School District on Tuesday, giving eligible students until the fall semester to show proof of full vaccination.
Students aged 16 and older will have until Sept. 6 to show proof of their first dose and Oct. 4 for their second dose. Those who wish to participate in fall 2022 sports or extracurricular activities must be vaccinated.
The district’s Vaccination Mandate Road Map was originally approved last September and does not allow personal belief exemptions. Since then, has faced legal obstacles.
Board trustee Richard Barrera cited logistical difficulties of implementation in the middle of the school year that contributed to the board’s decision.
San Diego Unified reported 79 percent of its eligible students ate fully vaccinated, and 84 percent received at least one dose. The vaccine is currently approved for individuals ages 16 and older.
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a school vaccine mandate slated to go into effect by July 1, requiring students 12 and older to get vaccinated only if the Food and Drug Administration fully approves the vaccine for children age 12 to 15.
A San Diego judge struck down the district’s mandate in December, citing the district’s lack of authority to impose a mandate that does not allow personal belief exemptions. The district filed an appeal to the judge's ruling.
A state appeals court granted a stay to the judge’s ruling, allowing the student mandate to continue while the appeal is pending.
