The first statewide student vaccination mandate, for in-person classes, has been announced by Governor Newsom, due to the significant infection spikes in children from the COVID Delta Variant. Only five school districts in California currently require them. The order requires the mandate for all age-eligible students to take effect by the 2022-2023 school year. In Nevada County, it’s only Nevada Union High School, where the state mandated shots, due to a major outbreak. County Superintendent of Schools, Scott Lay, says he expects parental blowback…

click to listen to Scott Lay

Lay says around 30-percent of parents have made the threat. Any student pulled would have to enroll in independent study. Lay estimates less than 10-percent have chosen that option, at this point…

click to listen to Scott Lay

It’s the first such mandate in the country. In August, Newsom also announced a requirement that all teachers and staff get vaccinated or submit regular negative test results. The deadline is October 15th and Lay says he expects that mandate to compound already-existing staff shortages.